Patna: The escalating conflict in West Asia, with joint US and Israeli strikes on Iran entering their second day on Sunday, has left families across Bihar gripped by anxiety and helplessness.As airspace closures, flight cancellations and continuing explosions disrupted the region, hundreds of migrant workers from Bihar — many employed in Iran and West Asian countries such as the UAE, Bahrain and Qatar — remained stuck, unable to return home just before Holi and during the holy month of Ramzan. Villages in Muzaffarpur, Jehanabad, Kishanganj, Darbhanga, Buxar, Siwan and Gopalganj were filled with worried relatives closely tracking news updates, making repeated video calls and appealing to the Indian govt for urgent evacuation and safety measures.In Muzaffarpur’s Kathaiya village, nights have been marked by fear. Families gather around mobile phones, anxiously waiting for messages and clinging to occasional WhatsApp voice notes from sons and husbands caught in Iran’s intensifying conflict. These men — labourers and technicians who had travelled abroad seeking modest livelihoods — now describe a grim situation of relentless bombardment with flashes lighting up the sky and explosions shaking the ground.Anand Kumar, a pipeline worker in the Manama area, spoke in a voice filled with fear: “Bombs rain down endlessly. The night turned red with bursting fire. Blasts erupted before my eyes — deafening, shattering. I cannot sleep; fear claws at me every second. It feels like death waits in the next breath. I never knew such horror.”More than 50 people from Anand’s village and adjoining areas are believed to be stuck there, taking shelter indoors and listening for distant sirens as they try to remain safe. In Kathaiya, Anand’s father, Rajmangal Sahni, held his phone tightly after a brief conversation, overcome with emotion. “He said it is slightly calmer here, but the ground still shook with blasts. His fear pierced my heart. What can I do so far away? We pray ceaselessly for his safe return.” His mother lit diyas with trembling hands and offered silent prayers.Similar anxiety prevails in Chausa village of Buxar. Sujit Kushwaha, currently in Dubai, posted a disturbing message on social media: “If I do not appear online, then understand that the situation has worsened; the fight is against humanity.” His relatives have struggled to reach him by phone and depend largely on occasional WhatsApp updates.Sujit later informed them that he was safe for now but described a tense situation, with repeated night-time explosions, mobile sirens sounding alerts, employees confined to safe rooms and work suspended until next week. “A loud explosion at night startled people, creating a panic situation,” he noted, adding that everyone had been advised to remain indoors.Mohd Babur, who lives near the airport in Dubai, said people have been fearful since the airstrike on Saturday. “We were asked to stay inside and not to share any posts on social media related to the situation over here. I keep informing my family in Gopalganj and told them not to worry,” he said.Syed Ruhullah Kazmi of Kolhua Paigambarpur in Muzaffarpur and his cousin Syed Waqar Kazmi, both pursuing PhDs in Islamic studies at Al Mustafaa University in Qom, Iran, are also stuck there along with their wives and children. A relative said they informed him that children’s schools had been closed. “The university also declared a holiday and a state of emergency. Due to the continuous attacks, everyone is hiding at home,” he said.The two described the sky as “thundering continuously”, with the sound of bombing and missile strikes echoing across the area. Residents have been strictly instructed not to step out, making it extremely difficult to leave the country at present.In Doha, Qatar, several Bihari professionals have reported similar tension. Mohammad Zafar, an engineer with a private company, recounted the aftermath of Iranian attacks on US bases, saying sirens were followed by three blasts in quick succession. A two-day govt holiday was declared, along with instructions not to travel more than 50 kilometres from their base. His family in Muzaffarpur has urged him to return at the earliest and remain in constant touch.
