A Bangladeshi driver who struck gold in the latest Big Ticket Abu Dhabi draw has said he has no plans to leave the UAE and settle in his home country.

“I call the UAE my home now as it has always given me more than I have imagined,” the winner, Harun Sarder Nur Nobi Sarder, told Khaleej Times in a phone call.

"I will never leave the UAE. I have been living here for 16 years, and this country has given me everything," he added in a voice filled with emotion.

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The 44-year-old private driver who is living in Sharjah became the latest millionaire after winning the Dh20 million grand prize in Big Ticket's September draw held on Friday.

Total surprise

On how he received the life-changing news of his big win, Harun said that it came as a total surprise.

“We had given two contact numbers. The Big Ticket team first called me, but I missed it. Then they called my friend, who was driving at the time, and he didn't realise what was happening. That's why he just kept saying 'okay, okay' when the host called him,” Harun said.

The winning ticket was bought by a group of 10 members, and they got a total of four tickets for the September draw, and the winning ticket was number 035350, purchased on September 14.

“We have been participating every month for the last six months. I was watching the live show and was expecting another ticket number to win. I had memorised it,” he said.“But this time, luck came from the other ticket.”

Future plans

Harun works as a driver for a local family in Sharjah, while some of his friends who pooled in for the ticket are small business owners or employees in other sectors.

The lucky group members, who earn between Dh1,500 and Dh3,000 a month, said hat they are still discussing how to make the most of their winnings.

“We have not yet decided what to do, but we want to use the money wisely so that it keeps generating more money and can sustain ourselves,” Harun said.

"I will plan to start a business here and hope to bring my family from Bangladesh soon,” he added.

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