Bangladeshi expat with zero bank balance wins Dh1 million in Mahzooz draw

Abdul Kadeer, a crane operator in Dubai, has won Dh1 million in the Mahzooz weekly draw. Photo: Mahzooz

A Bangladeshi crane operator in Dubai who did not even have a bank account is now Dh1 million ($272,260) richer after striking it lucky in the Mahzooz weekly draw.

Abdul Kadeer, 32, moved to the emirate 10 years ago to work for a steel company, where he earns Dh2,400 each month.

The hard-working father of two sent nearly all of his income to his family back home, leaving him with less than Dh100 for food and bills.

Now, a brighter future awaits Mr Kadeer, who plans to save for his children’s education, support his father and brother and open a cattle farm in Bangladesh.

He has been sharing a flat in Jebel Ali with eight people and is eager to create a more comfortable living situation for himself and his family.

“This changes everything for me. I will quit my job and I will move back to Bangladesh for now,” he told The National.

“When I got the call I thought someone was trying to prank me. Now, it’s slowly starting to sink in that I’m a millionaire.

“I want to help my father and brother. We will build a house in Bangladesh. I will buy my wife what she wants and we will save for our children.”

The lucky winner secured the welcome windfall after matching five out of the six winning numbers, which were 2, 17, 40, 41, 42 and 45.

Mr Kadeer won the 46th weekly live draw to become Mahzooz's 16th millionaire this year.

“I was working the nightshift and was trying to watch the draw show live on my phone, but my data kept buffering. I finally called my roommate to check the results and found out I had matched five out of six numbers in my fifth time participating,” he said.

“I want to use a portion of my prize money to help my brother and father who have been facing a lot of financial setbacks. Then I’ll build a house and rent it out – that will ensure we have a steady stream of income for years to come.”

Participants must register online and buy a Dh35 bottle of water to enter. The bottles are collected by the organisation and donated to charity.