Why would you want to play Bedrock on Linux? The Java version is great, supports mods, etc. The only reason I can think of is to play with console players in MP, so I recommend pressuring them to play the Java version so you can use mods (or play Minetest if they don't want to pay). It runs fine on most potatoes, so if they have a PC of any variety, they can probably run it.
Minetest engine and its games are great fun. It's super easy to mod with Lua scripts and there is awesome documentation. ContentDB has an abundant selection of games and mods for anyone to customize their play.
I forget what it's called, but there is a 3rd party application that allows you to play the mobile version on Linux. I only use it to play with my cousin since she can only play on Xbox, and it works pretty well.
Similar idea, but it does some funky translation layer magic to get pretty much native performance. The original project is called mcpelauncher-linux, iirc it's been abandoned and forked at least once since then but I haven't kept up with it.
How is it a mess? They gave people YEARS with constant reminders and it takes like half a minute to do. Anyone having issues with this is a fucking idiot and deserves to loose their account.
It was not a simple process. I've been trying for years to migrate, and gave up because it wasn't worth the hassle. I have been playing Minecraft since the alpha, and I have bought the game several times over.
To know that my account is now simply gone means that I'm just that much less likely to return. If I have to rebuild, I'll invest my time in a game that won't be taken away from me.