[🇧🇩] Those who have laid down their lives to free Bangladesh

[Saif]

708 in the draft list of martyrs of mass uprising

The health ministry has published a draft list of martyrs of the people-student mass uprising that ousted the Awami League government

en.prothomalo.com

708 in the draft list of martyrs of mass uprising
Special Correspondent
Dhaka
Published: 24 Sep 2024, 21: 25

The health ministry has published a draft list of martyrs of the people-student mass uprising that ousted the Awami League government. The draft list was published on the websites of the Health Services Division and Directorate General of Health Services Tuesday evening. There are names of 708 people on the list.

The health ministry disclosed the publication of the list in a public notification today. It said the draft list will be available on the websites of the Health Services division (www.hsd.gov.bd) and DGHS (www.dghs.gov.bd).

The list will be open to the public for corrections and additions till 6 October. The ministry has urged the families of the martyrs or their representatives to verify the relevant data on the list to complete the process.

The ministry also has requested the people who have any suggestion or any new information to add to the list to contact the hospitals concerned where the victim received treatment or any nearby government hospital.

The ministry has cited a few steps for making corrections. First, the family members of the martyrs or their representatives will have to register by submitting copies of their national ID cards, birth certificate or mobile number.

After registration, the person will have to download and print the data given on the list and fill up the blank options. After that the person will have to go to the nearby government hospitals where the person in charge will submit the form of newly added information and update those online. After that the person-in-charge of this at the hospital will check the website to verify whether the information was added properly or not.

Martyrs’ families to get Tk 500,000 each, those of injured Tk 100,000

However, the ministry has requested the family members to contact the deputy commissioner (DC) or upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) concerned or the upazila health and family planning officer with proper evidence in case of any name missing from the list.​

 

[Saif]

Killings during uprising: Bangladesh can file complaint with ICC

ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim AA Khan has said Bangladesh can file a complaint at the International Criminal Court against those who committed a massacre during the July-August uprising.

www.thedailystar.net

Killings during uprising: Bangladesh can file complaint with ICC
Chief prosecutor of Hague-based court tells Yunus

Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus presents ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim AA Khan with a book titled “Art of Triumph” at the UN Headquarters in New York on Thursday. Photo: PID

ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim AA Khan has said Bangladesh can file a complaint at the International Criminal Court against those who committed a massacre during the July-August uprising.

He said this in response to a query from Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus regarding the process of filing a case at the ICC against the perpetrators of the massacre on charges of committing crimes against humanity.

The ICC chief prosecutor called on Yunus on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on Thursday.

The student-led mass uprising led to the ouster of Shiekh Hasina on August 5. Atrocities carried out by the law enforcers and activists of Hasina-led Awami League and its associate bodies left at least 700 people dead and more than 20,000 injured.

During the meeting, Karim apprised the chief adviser of the latest developments on the investigation, launched by the ICC in 2019, into the Rohingya crisis in Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Karim said he would visit Bangladesh by the end of this year. He also praised Yunus's three-point proposal to give a new momentum to resolve the Rohingya crisis.

The chief adviser put forward the proposals at a meeting at the UN Headquarters on Wednesday. The proposals included an urgent conference hosted by the UN chief to review the overall situation and suggest way outs, an energised joint response plan for the Rohingya humanitarian crisis and serious international efforts to support justice and accountability to address the genocidal crimes committed in Rakhine in 2017.

"The three points are perfect," Karim said.

EUROPEAN COMMISSION CHIEF MEETS YUNUS

European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen has assured Chief Adviser Yunus that Bangladesh can count on Europe's support in its reform drive, reports UNB.

"We also remain your partner for steady growth and infrastructure development under Global Gateway," she said during a meeting with Yunus on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday.

"Let's make the best out of our €400 million Bangladesh Renewable Energy Facility," said the European Commission president.

Yunus also held meetings with the chiefs of the UN refugee agency and the International Labour Organisation at a New York hotel on the same day.

The high commissioner of the UN refugee agency, Filippo Grandi, discussed the Rohingya crisis with the chief adviser.

He called for a new approach to the crisis, saying that the international communities should do more to end the miseries of more than one million Rohingya in Bangladesh.

Grandi said the assumption of Professor Yunus as the new leader of Bangladesh has increased global interest in the Rohingya crisis. He hoped there will be more funding for the Rohingya humanitarian responses.

"The 700 million dollars from the World Bank is a good starting point," he said, adding that the UN stands ready to support more for the education of the Rohingya children.

Yunus stressed the need for finding a quick solution to the crisis and doing more for the future of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya children growing up in the camps in Bangladesh.

"We have to resolve this before it is too late. We have to find a solution," the chief adviser said.

Gilbert Houngbo, the director general of the International Labour Organisation, offered the UN labour agency's support for the interim government's move to implement ILO conventions in Bangladesh.

"We are at your disposal," he said, adding the ILO would respond to the chief adviser's call if and when he needed it.

Yunus said labour reforms are a top priority of his government as it sees the issue as a key to turning Bangladesh into a world class manufacturing hub.​

 

[Saif]

Rabbi’s martyrdom yet to get recognition

In the early hours of August 5, two young women were frantically searching for their 17-year-old brother, Ismail Hossen Rabbi, who had gone missing after leaving home the previous day to join the Anti-Discrimination student movement, breaking the lock on their tin-roofed house.

www.thedailystar.net

Rabbi’s martyrdom yet to get recognition
Sisters struggle to get official acknowledgement for their 17-year-old brother

In the early hours of August 5, two young women were frantically searching for their 17-year-old brother, Ismail Hossen Rabbi, who had gone missing after leaving home the previous day to join the Anti-Discrimination student movement, breaking the lock on their tin-roofed house.

After hours of desperate searching, an Ansar member at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue showed them several photographs. Among them, they found Rabbi -- lying lifeless on a stretcher, a single gunshot wound visible on his forehead, part of his brain exposed.

"Seeing the photo of my brother, my whole universe turned upside down," said Mim Akter, one of Rabbi's sisters.

The sisters requested the morgue authorities to release their brother's body but were told they first needed to prove their relationship.

When they asked how to do so, the authorities instructed them to bring police officers from the Jhigatola police box, who had reportedly left Rabbi at DMCH.

"However, when we sent our maternal uncles to the Jhigatola police box, they were chased away," Mim said.

"We begged the morgue authorities, explaining that the police wouldn't come, but they didn't listen," Mim added. "We were terrified they would disappear his body, just as we had heard happened to other students."

Later that afternoon, when protesting students arrived to retrieve the bodies of others, the sisters asked for their help. With the students' assistance, they managed to recover Rabbi's body from the morgue and, after pleading repeatedly, secured a death certificate from Ward 7.

However, the certificate only listed his name and date of death, without mentioning the cause, even though his forehead visibly bore a bullet wound.

Mim and her sister Mitu then hurriedly carried the body away, fearing the police might stop them.

"All my life, I thought my brother would carry our coffin one day. Never in my worst nightmare did I imagine that we would be carrying his," Mim said. "There are even videos of us, with the help of students, carrying my brother's body from the hospital," she added.

Despite possessing ample evidence -- including photographs of Rabbi's body, videos of their struggle to retrieve him, and a death certificate -- the sisters remain unable to secure their brother's martyr status.

Rabbi's name is absent from the martyr list, leaving them uncertain where to seek recognition for his sacrifice.

Furthermore, their attempts to file a case in court have been thwarted due to the lack of a postmortem report, a critical document they were never given.

After Rabby's burial in Madaripur, his sisters and student movement coordinators met with the DMCH director, who denied their request for a death certificate listing the cause of death, instructing them to get one from the local government instead.

"After getting the certificate from our Panchkhola Union Parishad chairman, we returned to submit it to the hospital authorities. However, the director said that he had been directed by the newly appointed health adviser to take more time, and the certificate would be provided eventually," said Mitu Akter, Rabby's sister.

"More than a month has passed, and that time has still not come. My brother still hasn't received official recognition as a martyr," she added.

In the meantime, the family spoke with several coordinators about where to go for the enlistment process, but they simply pointed to one another, and no one seemed to know the exact place to get this done.

"Is this our responsibility? If the government requires verification, they should direct us to a specific location. Many families of martyrs like us are in the same situation; they also don't know where to turn. Many bodies have disappeared or been burned to ashes. How will they be enlisted? This independence was earned at the cost of their lives -- do their lives hold no value? Will they receive no recognition?" asked Mim.

According to Mim, Rabby was a second-semester student at Shariatpur Polytechnic Institute.

Rabby's father, Md Miraz Talukder, a van driver by profession, lives hand to mouth. His mother, Asma Begum, teaches Arabic to students, while Mim manages daily expenses through private tutoring and sent money to Rabby to cover his living costs at the mess.

"When I found out he had joined the protest in Shariatpur, we brought him back to Sayedabad, where we live. He had even been hit by a rubber bullet on July 19 at Shahbagh," said Mim.

"By the end of July, when many students were losing their lives and social media was flooded with images and videos of injured or dead students and civilians, he refused to stay home, despite our pleas."

"On August 4, while we were at tuition, he somehow managed to unlock the door and leave. After that, I couldn't reach him by phone.

"In our last conversation on August 3, he said, 'You're worrying about me? What about Mugdha Bhai or Abu Sayed Bhai? They're already martyrs. If I die, I'll be one too.' He did become a martyr, but hasn't received that recognition yet."

On September 25, the sisters managed to meet with Information Adviser Md Nahid Islam alongside the family members of another victim -- Miraj Hossain.

The adviser assured all martyrs and injured individuals will be included in the official list.​

 

[Saif]

1,581 killed in mass uprising: students

The health affairs sub-committee of the Student Movement against Discrimination at a press conference on Saturday said that they prepared a list of 1,581 people who were martyred in the...

www.newagebd.net

1,581 killed in mass uprising: students
DU Correspondent 28 September, 2024, 23:53

The health affairs sub-committee of the Student Movement against Discrimination at a press conference on Saturday said that they prepared a list of 1,581 people who were martyred in the July revolution.

The press conference was held at the TSC auditorium of Dhaka University, only seven days after the same committee revealed 1,423 deaths in the massacre.

Convener of the National Citizen Committee Muhammad Nasiruddin Patwari at the press conference said that they had listed a total of 1,581 martyrs.

‘It’s not the final list. Finalisation of the list is still ongoing. We will provide the final list after some days. We will publish the martyrs’ list according to international rules so that the families of martyrs don’t get into any trouble,’ he said.

Farhad Alam Bhuiyan, a member of the citizen committee, Tariqul Islam, member secretary of the subcommittee and convener Nahida Bushra, among others, were present at the conference.

Forhad Alam Bhuiyan said that As-Sunnah Foundation, Human Rights Support Society, Red July and other organisations assisted in the preparation of the primary list. The local people in different areas also helped them gather authentic information.

Tariqul Islam said that the preliminary list of deaths was forwarded to the committee headed by the deputy commissioners, which would submit the final list to the Ministry of Health after verifying the information.

The health ministry, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and different non-governmental organisations, meanwhile, are coming up with different death figures.

On September 24, the directorate general of health services published a list of 708 victims which was updated to 717 deaths on Thursday.

Health adviser to the interim government Nurjahan Begum after visiting central police hospital in the capital’s Rajarbagh on August 29 said that more than 1,000 people were killed, and over 400 were blinded during the student-led mass uprising.

Earlier, on August 21, non-governmental organisation Human Rights Support Society published a report putting the figure of deaths at 819 based on information collected through interviews with the victims’ families and from hospitals, witnesses and national dailies.

According to a primary report of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights published on August 16, as many as 650 people were killed during the student-led mass uprising between July 16 and August 11.

Of these, nearly 400 deaths were reported from 16 July to 4 August, while around 250 people were reportedly killed following the new wave of protests between 5 and 6 August.

The UN office report also found that the security forces, including police and Border Guard Bangladesh, used unlawful lethal force and deliberately targeted unarmed people.​

 

[Saif]

'We want justice before we die'

The government has failed to address its top priorities within the first two months of taking office, alleged family members of the martyrs of the July uprising.

www.thedailystar.net

'We want justice before we die'
Say families of victims at Nagorik Committee event

The government has failed to address its top priorities within the first two months of taking office, alleged family members of the martyrs of the July uprising.

They voiced frustration over the delay in starting the trial of those responsible for the massacre, completing the list of martyrs, and beginning the rehabilitation of the martyrs' families.

Speaking at a rally in front of the National Museum yesterday, Md Idris, father of Maruf Hossain, who was killed in clashes with police on July 19 in Rampura, questioned how the government would hold the perpetrators accountable, given that many top Awami League leaders have reportedly fled the country.

"If the leaders have run away, how will you [the government] bring them to justice?" he asked.

It breaks my heart that I cannot hear the word 'baba' [father] from my son anymore. But hundreds of students now call me baba.— Saiful Islam Father of martyred Mominul Islam.

The rally, organised by the Jatiya Nagorik Committee, called for justice for the July massacre, rehabilitation for the martyrs' families, proper treatment for the injured, improvements in law enforcement, and measures to address price hike.

Idris recounted how, on July 26, detectives visited his house and interrogated him about his son's involvement with Jamaat-Shibir. He said the officers attempted to take him away but left after a lengthy argument with his family.

Saiful Islam weeps as he speaks about his son Mominul Islam, who was killed on July 19 during the quota reform movement, at the gathering held by the citizen’s committee in front of the National Museum in the capital’s Shahbagh yesterday. Mominul’s photos were held aloft next to Saiful as he spoke. Story on Page 3. PHOTO: PALASH KHAN

"If August 5 had not happened, I might have also ended up in Aynaghar [a notorious detention centre]," he said.

Denied support from the police, Idris lodged a case with the International Crimes Tribunal. He expressed frustration over the lack of progress and demanded to know when justice would be served.

Saiful Islam, father of Mominul Islam, who was martyred on July 19 in Mirpur, shared similar concerns. "We want justice before we die. All those responsible for the massacre should be punished," he said.

"It breaks my heart that I cannot hear the word 'baba' [father] from my son anymore. But hundreds of students now call me baba," he added.

Family members of other martyrs, including Raihan Hossain's brother, echoed these sentiments.

"Two months have passed, and the government has not even started the procedures for justice," he said.

Nasiruddin Patwary, convener of the committee, criticised the government for its lack of progress in rehabilitating the martyrs' families and treating the injured.

"Many of the injured are still suffering in hospitals. The government must ensure proper treatment," he urged.

He said the revolution had been driven by the financial desperation of the marginalised, yet their economic situation remains unchanged.

"Egg prices have skyrocketed, and market syndicates are still active. The government must act immediately to curb this," he said.

Patwary also warned political parties not to exploit the martyrs for their own agenda. "Understand the pulse of the people, especially the youth and students," he added.

Akhter Hossain, the committee's member secretary, emphasised that the government must bring to justice all those responsible for the massacre, including those who gave the orders and those who carried out the violence.

He said the previous government had been subservient to India, but the current administration, born of revolution, should show courage in handling these challenges.

The rally, conducted by Nagorik Committee member Ariful Islam Adeeb, was attended by the families of martyrs Shahriar Hassan Alvi, Khalid Saifullah, Nahidul Islam, Mosharraf Hossain, and Matiur Rahman.

Other speakers included Pritam Das, Sanjida Islam Tuli, Abdul Ahad, and Moshiur Rahman.​

 

[Saif]

105 children killed in July uprising

At least 105 children were killed during the recent student-led uprising in July and August, Women and Children Affairs Adviser Sharmin S Murshid said yesterday.

www.thedailystar.net

105 children killed in July uprising
Govt publishes draft list of 737 killed

Photo: UNB

At least 105 children were killed during the recent student-led uprising in July and August, Women and Children Affairs Adviser Sharmin S Murshid said yesterday.

Each victim's family will receive Tk 50,000 as compensation, Sharmin, also the social welfare adviser, announced during a press conference at the secretariat.

The list was finalised by the Health Services Division under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, reports UNB.

The monetary grant and a certificate will be distributed on World Children's Day today among families of the deceased children.

The ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium.

Additionally, Murshid noted that Tk 82,70,898 has been allocated to assist students injured during the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement through the Social Service Office and the Upazila Patient Welfare Association.

The ministry is also in the process of securing $5 million from the World Bank to fund rehabilitation and treatment for those affected by the uprising.

She also said the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs currently operates 12 daycare centres and is advocating for the establishment of daycare facilities in all government institutions by June 2026.

The government is also exploring the possibility of introducing private-sector daycares to enhance employment opportunities and provide essential services.

Meanwhile, the interim government yesterday published a preliminary list of at least 737 people who died during the student-led mass protests in July and August.

The names and identities of the dead were collected from different public and private hospitals, reports our staff correspondent.

The list is available at ছাত্র জনতার গণ অভ্যুত্থানে নিহত ও আহত ব্যক্তিবর্গের তালিকা.

Being a preliminary list, it's a work in progress and is being updated. The website's filtering function was not working accurately as of last night. However, initial analysis indicates that the majority of fatalities occurred in Dhaka, and most of the victims were students.

Earlier on September 24, the government published a draft list of 708 names on the website of the Health Services Division under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The draft list was scrutinised again and the preliminary list was released yesterday.​

 

[Saif]

Death in mass uprising: Nahid steps in to assist Monir's family

Says Alaol Kabir, secretary to info adviser

www.thedailystar.net

Death in mass uprising: Nahid steps in to assist Monir's family
Says Alaol Kabir, secretary to info adviser

Photo: Collected

Information Adviser Nahid Islam has stepped in to support the family of Monir Hossain, who was killed during the quota reform movement, the ministry said today.

The development came after The Daily Star on October 3 published a report titled "A Family Wracked by Tragedies," which outlined the hardships faced by Monir's family following his death.

Monir was shot dead on July 20 during the quota reform movement. Within two months, both of his parents also passed away.

Sanjida Akter Mim, Monir's sister, met with the adviser at the secretariat this morning.

Speaking to The Daily Star, RHM Alaol Kabir, private secretary to the information and broadcasting adviser, said Mim has been connected with the July Shaheed Memorial Foundation to ensure she receives immediate financial assistance.

Her younger brother Moinul, who suffered a mental breakdown after losing his family, will receive proper medical treatment from the government, said Alaol Kabir.

"He [Moinul] will be treated either at the National Institute of Mental Health or Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University," he told this newspaper.

Alaol Kabir said, "Mim has one year left to complete her graduation, and we are trying to secure a suitable job for her after that."

After the meeting, Mim said, "For personal safety reasons, I visited the secretariat. Adviser Nahid assured me of job assistance and promised that necessary steps would be taken to ensure the safety of both me and my brother."​

 

[Saif]

Fugitives involved in July-killing will be brought back to country: Attorney General

Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman on Saturday said the fugitives having link to July-August mass killings under Awami League regime and their allies to eliminate the 36-day movement of anti-discrimination student movement will be brought back to the country. “Maximum efforts will be made throu

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Fugitives involved in July-killing will be brought back to country: Attorney General
FE Online Desk
Published :
Oct 13, 2024 00:00
Updated :
Oct 13, 2024 00:00

Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman on Saturday said the fugitives having link to July-August mass killings under Awami League regime and their allies to eliminate the 36-day movement of anti-discrimination student movement will be brought back to the country.

“Maximum efforts will be made through the courts to bring back those involved in the July-August killings. If they do not come back and face justice, they themselves will suffer,” the Attorney General told a shadow parliament on ‘Responsibility for the July killings' at FDC in the capital, BSS reports.

Asaduzzaman said, “The incident of mass killing carried out by a civilian group using the law enforcers to consolidate power, will be tried under the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973.”

The tribunal will be reconstituted within the next week and to ensure transparency, the legal aspect of broadcasting the trial proceedings on television is being reviewed, he said, adding, “Those involved in the July-August killings will be brought to book very soon for their crimes against humanity.”

“Everyone who tried to turn Bangladesh into a failed state will also be brought to justice,” said Attorney General.

“Sheikh Hasina had told so many lies . . . even she defeated Joseph Goebbels, propaganda minister of Adolf Hitler,” Attorney General said adding, “If Goebbels were alive, he would have wished to be a student of Sheikh Hasina.”

He alleged that the country was ruled by one person for the past 15 years, with the parliament governed by authoritarianism.

He further said former Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque committed a crime by altering the judgement regarding the provisions of the caretaker government, allowing the Awami League to exploit this change. A case has been filed against Khairul Haque, which is currently under investigation, he added.

Debate for Democracy chairman Hasan Ahmed Chowdhury Kiran said that the unprecedented killing of unarmed students during the peaceful movement of July-August will remain as significant black mark in Bangladesh's history.

"Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, along with the Awami League and their allied political parties, is primarily responsible for these murders," he said.

In order to properly prosecute those responsible for the July killings, Debate for Democracy chairman Hasan Ahmed Chowdhury presented a 10-point proposal which included preparing a list of planners, commanders, killers and politicians and making a documentary on mass killing.

They also suggested arranging a referendum on whether the individuals and political parties involved in the July-August massacre have the moral right to do politics in the future.

Eastern University won the debate defeating Dhaka College on the theme ‘Administrative dictatorship is more responsible than party dictatorship for July killing’.

The judges were Dr. SM Morshed, Dr. AKM Mazharul Islam, Journalist Moniruzzaman, Journalist Md. Saidul Islam and poet Jahanara Parveen.​

 

[Saif]

Student injured in Ctg protests dies

Kawser Mahmud, a BBA student at BGC Trust University who sustained critical injuries during student protests in Chattogram's New Market area on August 4, passed away last night

www.thedailystar.net

Student injured in Ctg protests dies

Kawser Mahmud

Kawser Mahmud, a BBA student at BGC Trust University who sustained critical injuries during student protests in Chattogram's New Market area on August 4, passed away last night.

Kawsar succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment in Dhaka's Combined Military Hospital around 10:30pm.

He will be buried in Mughaltuli of Choumuhuni area under Chattogram's Double Mooring Police Station, said his younger brother Sultan Md Naim.

Kawser lived with his family in the port city's Commerce College Road. His father Abdul Motaleb has a grocery shop there.

With his death, so far 10 persons died in the anti-discrimination students' movement in Chattogram.

"My brother was indiscriminately beaten by Awami League and Chhatra League men during protest in New Market area on August 4 morning. Although he managed to return home, he later fainted and was admitted to intensive care unit of Islami Bank Hospital in Agrabad. As his condition deteriorated further, he was shifted to ICU in Chattogram Medical College Hospital on September 22, and later to CMH," said his brother.

"He remained unconscious for 17 days. After he regained consciousness, he told the family about the incident. Both his kidneys failed sue to the beating, alongside other physical complications," Naim added.

According to the death certificate, Kawser Mahmud likely died due to acute urinary tract infection, severe kidney injury, and multiple organ failure, said Shahinuzzaman, a sub-inspector of Cantonment Police Station in Dhaka.

The actual cause of death will be determined through autopsy, he added.​

 

[Saif]

Mediating the July massacre | The Daily Star

It was unquestionably the duty of the mainstream media—especially during the internet blackout when people had no other source of news to turn to—to provide people with actual, factual information about their country, their people, and their government. It was only because the people “took the...

thegreatwave.thedailystar.net

Mediating the July massacre
Kajalie Shehreen Islam

“I am extremely disturbed by how the media are being used to legitimise this mass killing,” read a text message from my former student, who is a journalist working for a local television news channel, on July 21.

According to a preliminary report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), published on August 16, at least 650 people were killed in Bangladesh during July’s movement-turned-massacre. Of them, 400 were killed between July 16 and August 4, and 250 on August 5 and 6, following the resignation of Sheikh Hasina from the post of prime minister and the fall of the Awami League government. Many of those injured during this year’s quota reform movement have subsequently died, and lists by local human rights organisations have put the number of dead at over 800. Unofficial estimates put the number of dead in the thousands, including not only unarmed students at peaceful protests, but also passers-by going about their day, as well as children who were sitting at home by the window or playing on rooftops.

Thinking back to the media coverage of the last two weeks of July and the first week of August, however (when I watched more local news at a stretch than I have in years), the movie playing in my mind consists of flashing, recurring images: Sheikh Hasina at press conferences labelling quota reform protesters first as razakars, and later as terrorists; former Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader calling upon Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists to give a fitting reply to those who (apparently) labelled themselves razakars; former Additional Commissioner of the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Harun or Rashid stating that the protest coordinators were being held in custody for their own safety; former Law Minister Anisul Huq claiming that the government had had fruitful dialogue with the protesters; former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan claiming that no children had been killed in the violence; Sheikh Hasina again, crying over the decades-old loss of her own loved ones; former Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad A Arafat talking about the restraint the government had shown so far and how so many bullets were still left to be used; the arson, looting, and destruction of state property by “BNP-Jamaat-Shibir-razakar-terrorists”; more of Sheikh Hasina crying over the destruction at a couple of metro rail stations, over the burnt down Bangladesh Television (BTV) buildings, over injured BCL activists; and of course, Sheikh Hasina reiterating how no one knew the pain and grief of losing loved ones better than her.

But where were the mothers who had lost their young sons just days before? Where was the father whose six-year-old daughter died in his arms as he rushed to bring her down from the rooftop where she was playing, lest she be killed by the helicopters shooting from above—and she was indeed shot in the head, while he was carrying her away. Where were these stories in the media, and particularly the electronic media, which could be anywhere and everywhere following the protests, the protesters, the violence, the retaliation, the resistance, and the resilience? It was unquestionably the duty of the mainstream media—especially during the internet blackout when people had no other source of news to turn to—to provide people with actual, factual information about their country, their people, and their government.

Unarmed students being shot in the chest. A student who was distributing water among protesters being killed 15 minutes later. Another student shot and thrown off a police vehicle, left to die. A young man hanging on for dear life to the edge of a building, shot until he finally let go and fell. A man shot in the leg while still trying to drag his injured friend to safety, but the friend being shot again, at closer range this time, and knowing that he was dying, asked his friend to let go, which he finally did, leaving him and limping away to escape. We saw all this first on social media, images and footage which robbed us of sleep at night and any peace of mind during the day.

The night before the fall of Sheikh Hasina and Awami League, one of my students called me in a frantic state. BCL goons with machetes had attacked her, her mother, and two of her friends in their own neighbourhood. Her brother had been beaten up, picked up, taken away, and beaten up some more. When I spoke to her again later, she cried and cried as she recounted her brother’s injuries to me—both his hands were broken. But she cried the hardest as she told me that the whole time, the police stood by, watching, and did nothing.

Thousands of stories like these never made it to the mainstream media. Hundreds of injured are still in hospital. Numbers of dead have, as usual, turned into statistics rather than stories of lives lived and unjustly taken. Even journalists were killed and injured in the violence. But the media only gave us statements about “normalcy”—how law and order was being maintained during the curfew; how, at various points, the protesters had supposedly negotiated with the authorities and called off the movement; how important people were urging students to go back home and to the classroom; how the only violence being perpetrated now was by BNP-Jamaat-Shibir-razakar-terrorists.

Throughout the July massacre, the bulk of mainstream media coverage was of government leaders and officials spewing their propaganda repeatedly, shamelessly, endlessly. Only a handful of cases, after being shared on social media, were covered by the mainstream media when they could not be ignored any longer. But even then, the coverage was minimal.

By not reporting on these atrocities, by not holding accountable those responsible for committing them through their orders and their actions, the media did indeed legitimise them. For the past 15 years, the media helped shape and disseminate the discourse of the powerful about who was “pro-liberation” and who was “anti-liberation”; about who were the patriots and who were the enemy; about who deserved protection and who it was acceptable to vilify and persecute. During the July massacre, what people had come to expect from state-owned television and media was also what they got from private television networks and many newspapers because they were, in essence, state-controlled. It was only because the people “took the media into their own hands” through social media that they were able to fulfil the role of the media to inform, to educate, and to persuade.

During the internet blackout, all people had were the mainstream media. What they themselves experienced or witnessed with their own eyes, and even recorded on their own cameras, they had no way of sharing. Many people’s phones and cameras were seized and later destroyed in order to prevent them from sharing what they had captured once the internet was back, demonstrating just how powerful the roles of social media and the general people were during the movement. Failed by the media, people turned to social media; and when that was largely disabled by the government, they worked their way around it through virtual private networks or VPNs. People went beyond sharing information by producing memes, reels, artwork, poetry, music, and skits. Online and offline, people came together, in protest, in resistance, in an awakening. And the government that refused to give them their rights came crashing down like a house of cards.

Alongside the wrath against the authoritarian regime was people’s outrage against its media, which became apparent as soon as the government fell. Those media outlets perceived to have acted as the state’s propaganda machinery over the past 15 years, and especially during the past month, were vandalised, including Somoy TV, Ekattor TV, and ATN Bangla, among others. Journalists associated with them have been called out—some even attacked, and some have been arrested on various charges. The line between freedom of speech and expression, and the freedom to design and disseminate propaganda can become blurry and requires addressing. But the remedy is not to suppress the media all over again. While some media outlets blatantly towed the government line over the past several years and even in July and the first week of August, others have had to navigate the political reality of authoritarian rule in order to survive. Many of the faces we see on screen or the by-lines we read in newspapers are not the ones who determine editorial policy, and not everyone has the luxury to quit on moral grounds, though some journalists have resisted at various times. Threats, and threats realised, such as through filing of the 2018 Digital Security Act against several journalists, served to intimidate many, and almost did away with investigative reporting in general, and any criticism of the government in particular. Except for the shamelessly partisan, many Bangladeshi journalists themselves felt trapped in their jobs where they could not speak the truth, let alone speak truth to power.

Trust in the media has eroded worldwide—the highest percentage of people who trust the news media most of the time was in Finland, at 69 percent in February of this year, according to Statista. The lowest was in Greece at 23 percent. There were no statistics available for Bangladesh in this particular study, but the lack of trust has been violently visible. The right to freedom of expression and information through the media must be guaranteed, and no one, including state officials, should be above criticism. For this, it is essential that media ownership and control be free from political as well as corporate influence, both of which have been eating away at the integrity of our media.

An article published on University College London’s (UCL) The Constitution Unit blog on the role of media in democracies and why it matters lists the features of a “free and healthy” media: independence, pluralism, impartial media outlets, high journalistic standards, and the complex issue of regulation of standards balanced with the need for media independence. The article also lists risks which the media face, including threats to broadcaster impartiality, threats to media independence, polarising content, weakened local and investigatory reporting, disinformation and misinformation, and monopolies.

For Bangladeshi media, the aforementioned “risks” seem to have become its characteristics, and the features of a free and healthy media perhaps seem remote and idealistic. Long-practised self-censorship and the suppression of disagreement/debate/dissent will take time and practice to overcome. But independence must be exercised, balance and objectivity maintained, investigative reporting revived, dis/misinformation countered, and monopolies broken down. It is only by ensuring independence of the media, by allowing diversity of views, encouraging impartiality, and rewarding high journalistic standards that a truly democratic media can be established for a truly democratic society.

The purpose of media regulation is to facilitate all the above, not to suppress media freedom. It is past high time that we de-normalise the maladies which have become the most common characteristics of the Bangladeshi media, and work towards establishing and strengthening the qualities of a free and healthy media appropriate to, and necessary for, a true, healthy, and functioning democracy.

Kajalie Shehreen Islam is an associate professor at the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism in the University of Dhaka.​

 

[Saif]

'Our dreams shattered by a bullet'

Rayhan’s family after his HSC results

www.thedailystar.net

'Our dreams shattered by a bullet'
Rayhan’s family after his HSC results

Rayhan Ahmed. Photo: Collected

Rayhan Ahmed's HSC results were published this afternoon.

Rayhan, who was shot during a march of the anti-discrimination movement in Dhaka, was a student of Gulshan Commerce College.

He passed with a GPA of 2.92, but his family, devastated by his death, could only mourn his passing as the news arrived, reports our Noakhali correspondent.

Rayhan was the only son of Md Mozammel Hossain and Amena Begum, residents of East Durganagar village in Noakhali Sadar upazila's Noannai Union.

On August 5, Rayhan was shot dead by police while taking part in the protest in the Badda area of the capital.

The next day, on August 6, he was laid to rest in the family graveyard.

"We had such big dreams for him. All of them were shattered in an instant with that one bullet. I don't know how to go on," said his father Md Mozammel Hossain, a caretaker in Badda.

His mother, Amena Begum, said, "My son is no longer with us. What use is his result now? He was supposed to do even better. Despite our financial struggles, we sent him to study in Dhaka so that he could build a better life. But one bullet took him from us forever. I appeal to the government to find those responsible for his death and ensure they face the highest punishment."

Rayhan's classmate, Mushfiqur Rahman Sifat, echoed the family's grief. "Rayhan was very talented. He was taken from us too soon, and his absence is deeply felt."

MA Kalam, the principal of Gulshan Commerce College, said, "Rayhan was one of 394 students from our college who passed the HSC this year in the commerce department, earning a GPA of 2.92. His passing is a tragedy we never expected."​

 

[Bilal9]

Rabbi’s martyrdom yet to get recognition

In the early hours of August 5, two young women were frantically searching for their 17-year-old brother, Ismail Hossen Rabbi, who had gone missing after leaving home the previous day to join the Anti-Discrimination student movement, breaking the lock on their tin-roofed house.

www.thedailystar.net

Rabbi’s martyrdom yet to get recognition
Sisters struggle to get official acknowledgement for their 17-year-old brother

View attachment 8955

In the early hours of August 5, two young women were frantically searching for their 17-year-old brother, Ismail Hossen Rabbi, who had gone missing after leaving home the previous day to join the Anti-Discrimination student movement, breaking the lock on their tin-roofed house.

After hours of desperate searching, an Ansar member at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue showed them several photographs. Among them, they found Rabbi -- lying lifeless on a stretcher, a single gunshot wound visible on his forehead, part of his brain exposed.

"Seeing the photo of my brother, my whole universe turned upside down," said Mim Akter, one of Rabbi's sisters.

The sisters requested the morgue authorities to release their brother's body but were told they first needed to prove their relationship.

When they asked how to do so, the authorities instructed them to bring police officers from the Jhigatola police box, who had reportedly left Rabbi at DMCH.

"However, when we sent our maternal uncles to the Jhigatola police box, they were chased away," Mim said.

"We begged the morgue authorities, explaining that the police wouldn't come, but they didn't listen," Mim added. "We were terrified they would disappear his body, just as we had heard happened to other students."

Later that afternoon, when protesting students arrived to retrieve the bodies of others, the sisters asked for their help. With the students' assistance, they managed to recover Rabbi's body from the morgue and, after pleading repeatedly, secured a death certificate from Ward 7.

However, the certificate only listed his name and date of death, without mentioning the cause, even though his forehead visibly bore a bullet wound.

Mim and her sister Mitu then hurriedly carried the body away, fearing the police might stop them.

"All my life, I thought my brother would carry our coffin one day. Never in my worst nightmare did I imagine that we would be carrying his," Mim said. "There are even videos of us, with the help of students, carrying my brother's body from the hospital," she added.

Despite possessing ample evidence -- including photographs of Rabbi's body, videos of their struggle to retrieve him, and a death certificate -- the sisters remain unable to secure their brother's martyr status.

Rabbi's name is absent from the martyr list, leaving them uncertain where to seek recognition for his sacrifice.

Furthermore, their attempts to file a case in court have been thwarted due to the lack of a postmortem report, a critical document they were never given.

After Rabby's burial in Madaripur, his sisters and student movement coordinators met with the DMCH director, who denied their request for a death certificate listing the cause of death, instructing them to get one from the local government instead.

"After getting the certificate from our Panchkhola Union Parishad chairman, we returned to submit it to the hospital authorities. However, the director said that he had been directed by the newly appointed health adviser to take more time, and the certificate would be provided eventually," said Mitu Akter, Rabby's sister.

"More than a month has passed, and that time has still not come. My brother still hasn't received official recognition as a martyr," she added.

In the meantime, the family spoke with several coordinators about where to go for the enlistment process, but they simply pointed to one another, and no one seemed to know the exact place to get this done.

"Is this our responsibility? If the government requires verification, they should direct us to a specific location. Many families of martyrs like us are in the same situation; they also don't know where to turn. Many bodies have disappeared or been burned to ashes. How will they be enlisted? This independence was earned at the cost of their lives -- do their lives hold no value? Will they receive no recognition?" asked Mim.

According to Mim, Rabby was a second-semester student at Shariatpur Polytechnic Institute.

Rabby's father, Md Miraz Talukder, a van driver by profession, lives hand to mouth. His mother, Asma Begum, teaches Arabic to students, while Mim manages daily expenses through private tutoring and sent money to Rabby to cover his living costs at the mess.

"When I found out he had joined the protest in Shariatpur, we brought him back to Sayedabad, where we live. He had even been hit by a rubber bullet on July 19 at Shahbagh," said Mim.

"By the end of July, when many students were losing their lives and social media was flooded with images and videos of injured or dead students and civilians, he refused to stay home, despite our pleas."

"On August 4, while we were at tuition, he somehow managed to unlock the door and leave. After that, I couldn't reach him by phone.

"In our last conversation on August 3, he said, 'You're worrying about me? What about Mugdha Bhai or Abu Sayed Bhai? They're already martyrs. If I die, I'll be one too.' He did become a martyr, but hasn't received that recognition yet."

On September 25, the sisters managed to meet with Information Adviser Md Nahid Islam alongside the family members of another victim -- Miraj Hossain.

The adviser assured all martyrs and injured individuals will be included in the official list.​

Each one of these murders must be avenged, murderers should be sought out and punished under the law.

 

[Saif]

Each one of these murders must be avenged, murderers should be sought out and punished under the law.

I couldn't agree with you more.

 

[Saif]

Govt to give Tk 3 million compensation to family of each student movement martyr

The government will provide Tk 3 million to the family of each person killed in the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser Mahfuz Alam said Thursday. Mr Alam made the announcement during a briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka, following a meeting o

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Govt to give Tk 3 million compensation to family of each student movement martyr
FE ONLINE DESK
Published :
Oct 17, 2024 21:11
Updated :
Oct 17, 2024 21:11

The government will provide Tk 3 million to the family of each person killed in the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser Mahfuz Alam said Thursday.

Mr Alam made the announcement during a briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka, following a meeting of the Advisory Council.

Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Adviser on Forest, Environment and Climate Change, also attended the briefing.​

 

[Saif]

From classroom to martyrdom: A tribute to the fallen HSC examinees

These martyred students achieved more in the years that they lived than many of us would do in decades.

www.thedailystar.net

From classroom to martyrdom: A tribute to the fallen HSC examinees

Visual: Star

Every year, as the results of the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exams get published, the media features bright-eyed successful students with their proud parents and/or teachers. This year, it was different. HSC examinees who lost their lives during the July uprising made the headlines. The studies that defined them as students or university applicants bore a broader meaning. They are the young revolutionaries whose sacrifices have made changes possible and led us to reflect on the paradoxes of life and death.

These martyred students achieved more in the years that they lived than many of us would do in decades. The breadth of their lifespan does not include the depths of their dying or the meaning they gave to their own lives. Their purposeful existence, though not long in years, was rich enough to defy death's physical limits. Their deaths strip away the triviality often associated with examinations and youthful aspirations, as their academic successes serve as reminders not only of unrealised potential but also of poignant sacrifices that lend new weight to the freedoms we may take for granted. Their GPA scores now stand as symbolic markers of their existential struggle against a system they deemed unjust. These students have become part of a larger narrative that transcends individual loss. By reflecting on their contributions, we can understand how death both shapes and defines life—both now and in the future.

The omnipresence of death is a core belief in almost all religions. Without an awareness of the inevitable end of our physical life, the metaphysical union with our maker would lose its significance. The Islamic belief regards martyrdom as a sacred act, granting the departed a special place in paradise. This glorification of death eases grief by transforming a loss into an act of spiritual victory. Similarly, Hinduism and Buddhism view death within the larger cycle of Samsara, where life and death are interwoven in an endless sequence of births, deaths, and rebirths. This circularity allows death to be accepted as a form of transition. Conversely, to think of death transformed into something beyond its inherent finality is central to Bardo Thodol, or the Tibetan Book of the Dead. The transitional state, bardo, is where the soul wanders through various stages of consciousness before reaching rebirth or liberation. In bardo, reality becomes fluid, subject to distortions and projections shaped by the mind's own fears, desires and attachments.

The HSC results of those who have left us can be interpreted as a type of bardo for the living—the families and communities still grappling with the loss. No words are enough to console the grieving parents and loved ones. The pain of separation for them is excruciatingly real and concrete. Yet, the meaning of these students' lives is paradoxically illuminated through their deaths. While their near ones look at the vacant chair at the dinner table or the absence of sibling rivalry, we look at their unfulfilled dreams and grant their stories an eternal quality, glorifying their defiance against formidable opponents.

The posthumous announcement of the exam results functions as a simulacrum—a representation that hints at a reality that is no longer accessible. The young ones are not with us to claim their achievements. Their successes have become a kind of "hyperreality," where the meaning of their education and potential is magnified by the tragedy of their deaths. It is as though they died to give meaning to the very concept of life itself, asserting that life's worth is not measured by longevity or conventional milestones, but by the depth of one's commitment to an ideal, even at the cost of one's existence.

Then again, the crest of their success rests on the trough of a revolutionary wave that forms our political history. A revolution needs many waves to reach the shore. To think of the sacrifices of only one generation as the sole grand narrative would be a disservice to the other sacrifices that went into the fight to overthrow autocratic regimes, whether in 1990, 1971, or beyond. The stories we choose to highlight reveal much about our national character. When a revolutionary leader like Matia Chowdhury dies without receiving due recognition, we overlook her contribution to "Bangladesh 1.0". By denying her the honour of being buried as a national hero, we falsify our history.

We have pressed a "reset button" as if to suggest that history (re)originated on August 5, 2024. If we forget the leaders and the dates that defined the foundation of our nation, we are denying the sacrifice of those who gave us our national flag and territory. If we pick only our recent heroes, then we risk picking up dead flowers to place in the vase of our history, disconnected from the tree that birthed many such flowers throughout the twists and turns of our history. "Reset" is a term more applicable to machines and artificial intelligence. For organic life or human intelligence, we need to be appreciative of the nuances of both life and death. Erasing history is a crime for which the fallen government has paid heavily. There is no sense in repeating the same mistake. I look at the pictures of those bright-eyed faces who had the potential to become so many things. Yet they became the guiding lights for us so that we don't lose our way in blind hatred and revenge.​

 

[Saif]

Who made so many people accused, asks plaintiff

But the case has been filed against some people, who are apparently not involved with the incident. Even the plaintiff does not know how so many people have been accused in the case. Now he wants to rectify the case

en.prothomalo.com

Who made so many people accused, asks plaintiff
Satyajit Ghosh
Shariatpur
Published: 20 Oct 2024, 21: 08

Deceased Al Amin’s mother Jiasmin Begum and sister Aflan Sinthia are crying by his grave at their village home in Dakkhin Mogor village in Naria upazila of Shariatpur on 19 October 2024 Satyajit Ghosh

Al Amin, 29, was shot to death during the movement of Students Against Discrimination (SAD) at Baipail in Savar of Dhaka on 5 August. His father, Ismail, filed a lawsuit against 154 at the metropolitan magistrate court in Dhaka on 9 October in this connection.

Several leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) from Shariatpur, Isamil’s home district, helped him in filing the case.

But the case has been filed against some people, who are apparently not involved with the incident. Even the plaintiff does not know how so many people have been accused in the case. Now he wants to rectify the case.

An expatriate to Saudi Arabia, Al Amin was the son of Ismail and Jiasmin Begum, from Dakkhin Mogor village in Naria upazila of Shariatpur. Upon returning home around four months ago, he started a grocery shop along with his father in the Baipail area. Ismail sustained bullet injuries after joining a procession to topple the government. Since then his family members did not know his whereabouts. Later on 17 August, they found his body at the morgue of Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital and buried him at his village.

The case Al Amin’s father Ismail filed against 154 include former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former road transport minister Obaidul Quader, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, former deputy minister Enamul Haque Shamim, former MP Bahauddin Nasim, BM Mozammel Haque, Opu Ukil and so on.

Besides, the accused include former mayor and councillor of various pourashavas of Shariatpur, upazila parishad chairman and union parishad chairman and local Awami League leaders.

The accused list include US expatriate Abdus Salam, Shariatpur press club general secretary freedom fighter Abdus Samad Talukder, ailing physician Alamgir Mati, National Institute of CardioVascular Diseases (NICVD) physician Ashraful Haque and Naria upazila assistant cooperative officer Shahadat Hossain.

At least 15 of the accused are traders.

Following the filing of the case, judge Dilruba Afroze of the metropolitan magistrate court in Dhaka ordered the Kafrul police station to inform the court by 21 October whether any general diary (GD), unnatural death (UD) case or any regular case was filed in connection with the death of Al Amin and whether the police are investigating the case.

Plaintiff Ismail claimed Naria upazila unit BNP president Dadan Munshi and a convict in a murder case, Babul Talukder, are behind the case.

Babul Talukder, who has been awarded life term imprisonment in a case filed over the murder of former public prosecutor of Shariatpur judge court Habibur Rahman and his brother Monir Hossain Munshi, is currently on the run.

In the case filed over the death of Al Amin, Habibur Rahman’s son Parvez Rahman and Mezbaur Rahman and Monir Hossain’s son Borhan Munshi have been accused.

Besides them, several accused who were acquitted from the case filed over the murder of two brothers from Shariatpur have also been accused.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, plaintiff Ismail said, “Several BNP leaders and a convict accused in a murder case in Shariatpur town communicated with me regarding the case. They called me with a proposal to help me. They said one thing and did the opposite. I did not realise they would use me to file cases against various people. My sign was taken through the lawyer to file the lawsuit. Now I’m caught in a cleft stick for that signature. I’m trying to rectify the case through legal ways.”

US expatriate Abdus Salam has been made accused in the case. He told Prothom Alo over phone, “I’ve come to the US in June. I was not even in the country when the incident took place. I have been made accused due to enmity. Now those people are asking money from my relatives to drop my name as an accused.”

Another accused, Shariatpur press club general secretary freedom fighter Abdus Samad Talukder told Prothom Alo, “A certain group attacked my house after the fall of the government. Those people have made me an accused in the case.”

Modern Herbal’s founding physician Alamgir Mati has been ailing for a long time and remains bedridden often.

His personal assistant told Prothom Alo, “Our sir is sick. He needs help from others even for walking. We are astonished that such a person has been made murder accused.”

Prothom Alo could not contact Babul Talukder as he has been hiding.

Naria upazila BNP president Dadan Munshi is currently in Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah Hajj.

Speaking to Prothom Alo over WhatsApp Sunday morning, he said, “Al Amin’s father phoned me seeking help to file a case. Since then I haven’t communicated with him.”

He claimed that he did not know who have been made accused in the case.

Visiting deceased Al Amin’s village home on Saturday morning, his mother Jiasmin Begum and sister Aflan Sinthia were found to be crying by his grave.

Jiasmin Begum lives with a son and a daughter in a house made of iron sheets. She told this correspondent she has been lamenting the loss of her son for the last two and a half months. Amid this she has been facing the tangles of the case.

She further said they do not want to run the case that way.

* The report has been rewritten in English by Shameem Reza​

 

[Saif]

Boy who wanted to stand out

Nasib Hasan Riyan, the second of three children of Golam Razzak and Sammi Akter, had a constant drive to stand out, in clothes or in action. He had a dream of becoming a pilot.

www.newagebd.net

Boy who wanted to stand out
Kamrun Nahar Sumy 27 October, 2024, 00:17

Nasib Hasan Riyan

Nasib Hasan Riyan, the second of three children of Golam Razzak and Sammi Akter, had a constant drive to stand out, in clothes or in action. He had a dream of becoming a pilot.

Riyan’s liveliness used to panic others in the house as he would go on trips outside Dhaka without telling his parents anything. Yet, his maturity helped to ease family tension in disputes, his father said on October 25.

Three bullets hit the 17-year-old spirited boy in the face and the chest on August 5, when he went out for celebrations after the overthrow of the Awami League government that day.

Nasib, who took part in the protests seeking reforms in civil service job reservations, went to Ganabhaban, where the deposed prime minister lived, with his elder brother Nuhash Hasan Rafin and several of his friends.

The student protests, which began on July 1, escalated into a mass uprising later that month, ultimately toppling the Awami League government.

Back from Ganabhaban, they gathered on the Ring Road at Shyamali, at a short distance from Nasib’s house. A group of police personnel suddenly approached them in the afternoon, firing indiscriminately, said Saikat Francis Gomes, a resident of the area who was standing near by.

‘The police personnel raised their hands at one point when several people requested with them not to fire. A procession was approaching from the opposite direction,’ Saikat said.

‘We urged the marchers not to clash with the police. But when a child threw a stone at the police, they began firing again. Nasib fell down.’

A quarter of an hour later, when the police moved away, Saikat, Nasib’s brother who ran into an alley when the police fired, and several others carried Nasib to Alliance Hospital.

He was then taken to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital where he was pronounced dead in the evening.

Eight to nine people were lying wounded on the ground, he said. Later that day, a mob beat to death two police personnel and a leader of the Chhatra League who were hiding in a nearby building, he added.

The police fired in self-defence when the station house was attacked, said a subinspector, who was transferred to the Adabar police on October 1, as he had heard.

Nasib’s father filed a complaint with the International Crimes Tribunal on August 29, accusing 52 people, including the deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, on charges of genocide.

The Directorate General of Health Services on September 24 said that after a preliminary investigation, it had listed 708 people having died in the protests and uprising.​

 

[Saif]

Abu Sayeed killing: 2 teachers, 7 staff of BRU suspended

Begum Rokeya University authorities have suspended two teachers and seven staff members in connection with their alleged involvement in the death of Abu Sayeed, a student of the English department of the university who became one of the first as well as iconic martyrs of the Anti-Discrimination Stu

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Abu Sayeed killing: 2 teachers, 7 staff of BRU suspended
FE Online Desk
Published :
Oct 28, 2024 20:09
Updated :
Oct 28, 2024 20:09

Begum Rokeya University authorities have suspended two teachers and seven staff members in connection with their alleged involvement in the death of Abu Sayeed, a student of the English department of the university who became one of the first as well as iconic martyrs of the Anti-Discrimination Students movement in July.

The decision was taken at the 108th Syndicate meeting held at the administrative building of the university on Monday morning with its vice-chancellor Prof. Md Shawkat Ali in the chair.

The meeting also took a number of decisions including stopping politics on the campus, reopening the activities of Chhatra Sangshad and forming a probe body over the allegation of irregularities in the teacher recruitment process of the university, reports UNB.

When briefing, Prof. Shawkat Ali said the authorities concerned have decided to impose a ban on all kinds of criminal activities including extortion, tender manipulation, seat trade in residential dormitories, illegal occupation of halls and tail-wagging politics in order to supervise and control the moral, academic discipline of the students.

As per the university law, no teachers and staff will be members of any political organisations, he said, adding “Action will be taken against those involved in such activities.”

Besides, the meeting decided to file a case against the teachers and staff of the university allegedly involved in the killing of Sayeed.

It also decided to not to accept the leave of those teachers and staff who were absent and a show-cause notice will be issued for their absence.​

 

[Saif]

July uprising: Families of martyrs to get financial aid from today

The July Shaheed Smriti Foundation will start providing financial assistance from today to the families of those who were martyred or injured during the July uprising.

www.thedailystar.net

July uprising: Families of martyrs to get financial aid from today

The July Shaheed Smriti Foundation will start providing financial assistance from today to the families of those who were martyred or injured during the July uprising.

Initially, the families of the deceased will get Tk 5 lakh each, while the injured will get Tk 1 lakh each.

Each week, 200 families will get the assistance, and the disbursement programme will be completed in four phases.

Sarjis Alam, general secretary of the foundation, shared the information at a press conference held at the foundation's office in Shahbagh yesterday.

Sarjis said the first disbursement of funds will take place at the DSCC city hall for the families from the Dhaka division. "Not all martyr families will come tomorrow [today]; those who will receive the assistance have already been contacted," he said.

"Other families will receive assistance in phases over the following weeks, and it is expected that all families will receive their aid by December," he added.

Sarjis also mentioned that after assisting the families from the Dhaka division, aid will be provided to families in other divisions.

The families of martyrs will be given a cheque, while the injured will be sent the money through BKash, he added.

However, if anyone requires urgent assistance, they can contact the helpline at 16000, and help will be provided within three days, he added.​

 

[Saif]

Student injured in uprising dies in CMH

One more student hit by bullets during the student-led mass uprising died on Thursday while undergoing treatment at Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka...

www.newagebd.net

Student injured in uprising dies in CMH
Staff Correspondent 14 November, 2024, 19:45

Abdullah | BSS photo

One more student hit by bullets during the student-led mass uprising died on Thursday while undergoing treatment at Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka.

The victim is Abdullah, a student of Government Shahid Suhrawardy College, hailing from Benapole in Jashore.

Dhaka cantonment police station officer-in-charge Abdul Alim confirmed the news to New Age.

The body of the victim was sent to the Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospital mortuary for autopsy, said the OC.

Mahin Sarker, a coordinator of the Student Movement Against Discrimination, said that Abdullah was shot in the head in Old Dhaka on August 5.

Abdullah was taken to Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital and later to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. He returned home after a surgery at the DMCH, said Mahin.

He was again admitted to the DMCH with infection in the head. Abdullah went through another surgery but he was shifted to the CMH on August 22 as his condition did not improve.

His health condition improved initially at the CMH but he was put on life support after some days, said Mahin, adding that he was on life support till his last day.

The Directorate General of Health Services on September 24 came up with a preliminary list of 708 people who died in the student-led mass uprising that forced Sheikh Hasina to flee to India.

The health affairs sub-committee of the Student Movement Against Discrimination said on September 28 that it had listed 1,581 people as dead in the July-August mass uprising that forced the fall of the autocratic regime of Sheikh Hasina on August 5.​