Thousands of people have launched a campaign to stop an 11-year-old boy being deported to Bangladesh weeks after his little brother died following a long battle with cancer . Maarij Khan and his mother Mushammat are set to be removed from their home in Newcastle after the Home Office turned down their bid to remain in the UK . Now 3,500 people have signed a petition to allow the schoolboy and his mother to stay in Britain , where Maarij 's 10-year-old brother Saffat is buried . Saffat died of meningitis last month , after his fight against an aggressive form of cancer and several rounds of chemotherapy left his immune system fatally weakened . Deported : Maarij Khan , left , has been told he must leave Britain and move to Bangladesh weeks after the death of his brother Saffat , pictured right receiving an award for bravery . The family first came from Bangladesh to the UK in October 2007 to live with Maarij and Saffat 's father , who was studying for a PhD . Saffat was subsequently diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma , a type of childhood cancer which attacks connective tissue in the face and left him severely disfigured . After years of chemotherapy and radiotherapy , he fell ill with meningitis , and died on March 4 . The Home Office denied the family's request to stay in the UK after their visa expired in 2013 . They tried to challenge the decision , but a tribunal turned down their appeal last year . The boys ' father returned to work in Bangladesh in March 2014 . Mushammat , 34 , said : 'All Maarij knows is Newcastle , all his friends are here , his life is here . He and Saffat were incredibly close , they were inseparable and his death has left him heartbroken . 'He goes and sits at his brother 's graveside each day . The thought of him never being able to do that again is terrible to us all . 'The support we 've had from all parts of the Tyneside community has been humbling and we very much want to stay in the area that has become our home . ' Maarij 's supporters say that he has become withdrawn and shy after Saffat 's death , and warn that his education will suffer if he is sent to Bangladesh . Heartbroken : Maarij has become withdrawn after his brother 's death , according to his family . Immigrants to the UK who are on a student visa , and their family members , are only allowed to stay in the UK until their course comes to an end . They must then apply for a new visa , such as one linked to a specific job , or return to their home country . However , under the Human Rights Act 1998 , immigrants facing deportation are able to appeal on the grounds that being forced to leave the UK is a breach of their human rights . A number of immigrants have claimed that their 'right to respect for private and family life ' under Article 8 of the Act would be breached if they were made to leave their new home in Britain . However , the use of the Human Rights Act has attracted controversy because convicted criminals have tried to use it to avoid being deported . Local councillor Dipu Ahad has set up an online petition calling on the Home Office to reconsider its decision . He said : 'It must be heartbreaking for the mother and brother of Saffat , knowing that they may be deported very soon , and they are unlikely to have access to Saffat 's resting place ever again . I can ’ t even begin to imagine the pain . ' The family 's last chance is to appeal to the Court of Appeal , but they are unlikely to succeed unless they can prove that the authorities have made a legal error . A spokesman for the Home Office said : 'On February 6 , 2013 the family applied to the Home Office for leave under Article 8 of the Human Rights Act 1998 ( right to respect for private and family life ) , this was refused by the Home Office on January 22 , 2014 . 'The family subsequently lodged an appeal against this refusal . This appeal was dismissed by the First-tier Tribunal , which is independent of the Home Office , on August 26 , 2014 . 'This decision was subsequently upheld by the Upper Tribunal ( also independent of the Home Office ) who dismissed the family ’ s appeal on December 17 , 2014 . 'The family sought permission to appeal to the Court of Appeal , via the Upper Tribunal . The Upper Tribunal rejected that application on March 19 , 2015 . 'The family have a further , final , right to appeal direct to the Court of Appeal . '
Maarij Khan , 11 , and his mother Mushammat set to be deported from UK . Brother Saffat , 10 , died of meningitis last month after years-long cancer battle left his immune system weakened . Score: 6