1234 Kolkata: What began as a promising academic journey turned into a nightmare for Sayed Baqir Majlisi Rizvi, a young researcher from Basirhat in North 24 Parganas, now stranded in the conflict-ridden Iranian city of Qom amid the escalating Iran-Israel hostilities.Rizvi, in his early 30s and a resident of Sankchura in Basirhat, travelled to Iran in 2018 to pursue higher studies in Persian. For the past two years, he lived in Qom while pursuing a PhD at Al-Mustafa International University. However, with the recent surge in conflict, his daily life has become a routine of survival — marked by missile alerts, erratic communication, stockpiling essentials, and frequent dashes to underground bunkers.His family, gripped by anxiety, has appealed to both the state and central govts, urging immediate intervention to bring him back safely. "What was supposed to be a prestigious academic journey became a terrifying ordeal for our son," said his father, a schoolteacher. "We don't know how to bring him back. It's a nightmare," he added.The situation worsened over the past week. According to the family, Rizvi was preparing to return home, with a flight scheduled for June 20. But with commercial flight services suspended, his return now appears uncertain.Communication became increasingly difficult due to unstable internet connectivity in Iran. "At times, we speak for a minute or two. Most of the time we can't reach him at all. If the internet is shut down completely, we may lose all contact," said Rizvi's mother, Sakila Bibi.In a social media post routed through local channels, Rizvi recently appealed to Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, seeking help for his safe evacuation. He also contacted the local MLA, Saptarshi Bandyopadhyay of Basirhat Dakshin constituency, who has since raised the issue with the state govt."Once I was informed, I brought the matter to CM Mamata Banerjee's notice. An MP has been assigned to look into the case. All relevant details are being shared with the home department for further action," Bandyopadhyay confirmed.The district administration has also responded, stating that coordination had begun with the Union ministry of external affairs. "We have contacted the external affairs department and all necessary legal and diplomatic steps are being initiated to ensure the student's safe return," a senior district official said.Rizvi's elder brother, Golam Askari, a local garment trader, said the family was in constant fear. "We spoke to him two days ago. He said a missile struck about 5 to 10 km from his hostel around 10 pm on Monday. He and his hostel mates were in a bunker at the time. The noise was deafening," Askari said. "We just want him home. What we're watching on TV terrifies us. The state and central govts must act immediately."Inside his hostel room, Rizvi reportedly stocked up on groceries for two weeks and relies on a missile alert app to stay prepared. "He told us he once woke up to sirens with no prior warning. At first, he thought it was a false alarm. Then came the explosion," his father recalled, visibly shaken.As hostilities escalate in the Middle East, the Rizvi family remains sleepless and desperate, hoping for swift govt action to bring their son back to safety.