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

[Saif]

Killed in students’ movement: None claims bodies

Eight bodies are also being preserved at the Dhaka Medical College morgue as details of the deceased remain unknown.

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Killed in students’ movement: None claims bodies
Shishir MoralDhaka
Updated: 15 Aug 2024, 09: 12

A notice about unclaimed bodies at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospital Prothom Alo

Relatives are going from one to another hospital in search of their dear ones as some people, who joined the movement of the Student Against Discrimination, have not yet returned home.

In the meantime, several bodies are still in the morgues with the hospital authorities finding none claiming those bodies.

Visiting Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospital on Monday, it was learned that three bodies are still in the morgue though people come every day searching for their beloved ones.

Eight bodies are also being preserved at the Dhaka Medical College morgue as details of the deceased remain unknown.

The bodies left at the Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College morgue arrived between 16 July and 6 August. Since nobody claims the bodies, hospital director Md. Shafiur Rahman issued a notice on the matter.

It said there were several unidentified bodies at the hospital’s mortuary, arrived during the ongoing Students Against Discrimination movement. No details of the deceased have been found. None claimed the bodies either. Even the hospital authorities received no cooperation from the police. So the hospital authorities welcome individuals or organisations interested in conducting the funeral of these unclaimed bodies.

This correspondent saw one such advertisement on the notice board of the director’s office and another on the mortuary’s door on Monday.

According to data provided by the hospital authorities, 30 bodies arrived in the hospital during clashes and violence centering the recent movement between 18 July and 22 July. Twenty-one of the deceased were documented and eight-nine bodies remained undocumented. Twenty more bodies arrived between 4 August and 6 August and all of those bore bullet marks.

Speaking to Prothom Alo on Monday, hospital director Md. Shafiur Rahman said, “Still there are several unclaimed bodies at the morgue. We are in a bit of trouble as the bodies might get rotten.”

The in-charge of the mortuary, located at the ground floor of the hospital, told Prothom Alo there were five bodies, but relatives took two of those bodies. One of the three deceased was about 35 years old while the remaining two were 18-19 years who, according to the hospital director, were students.

When this correspondent was talking to the in-charge of the mortuary, a certain youth, Ahsanullah Alif Khan, arrived and said he was searching for his brother and he wanted to see the bodies or the photo of the bodies. The in-charge along with an official showed the youth and this correspondent the photographs of the bodies, he then assured that none of the three deceased was his brother.

Ahsanullah Alif Khan was from Trishal, Mymensingh. He works at an apparel factory in Gazipur. His brother's name was Ashikur Rahman Khan, 31, who was a wage earner.

Showing the photograph of his brother, Ahsanullah Alif Khan told Prothom Alo, “His younger brother came to Dhaka on 1 August to join the movement but never returned.”

Previously, he searched for the body of his brother at the Dhaka Medical College morgue twice and at the Mugda Medical College and Hospital, but he found nothing. Now, he does not understand where he could find his brother.

Moments later, the conversation with Ahsanullah Alif Khan ended when another man of nearly 40 sat next to this correspondent.

Asked why he was there, the man replied one of his relatives had gone missing since the movement and he was searching for his relative from one to another hospital.

When asked about the details of his relative, the man left the mortuary hurriedly.​

 

[Saif]

৫ আগস্ট যেভাবে হ ত্যা য জ্ঞ চালায় শেখ হাসিনা সরকার

 

[Saif]

Cultural activists demand justice for the killing of students

Cultural activists and other professionals with the leaders of different political parties at an event at Central Shaheed Minar on Tuesday evening demanded justice for killings of students and...

www.newagebd.net

Cultural activists demand justice for the killing of students
MA Aslam Molla 21 August, 2024, 00:43

Teachers, students, writers, journalists and artistes gather at the Central Shaheed Minar in the capital on Tuesday to pay respect to the people killed during the recent student-led mass uprising. | Sony Ramany

Cultural activists and other professionals with the leaders of different political parties at an event at Central Shaheed Minar on Tuesday evening demanded justice for killings of students and people during the quota reform student movement.

They also demanded proper treatment for injured protesters, filing cases against the police for killings and UN investigation into enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings in the past 15 years.

The event titled Amra Tomader Bhulbona was organsied by Chhatra Shikkhak Lekhak Sangbadik O Shilpi Samaj.

Lyricist Latiful Islam Shibli, Abu Saeed Khan, Zahidur Rahman, Mayer Daak coordinator Sanjida Islam Tulee, Mahfuza Akhter, Asaduzzaman Asad, Nirmal Omar and Saeed Bari spoke at the event which was moderated by writer-journalist Ehasan Mahamud.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and its senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, BNP standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Moin Khan, Selima Rahman, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, among others, were present at the programme to express their solidarity.

Deepak Kumar Goswami recited the poem Sob Kichu Mone Rakha Hobe, rickshaw puller Sultan Mia from Rangpur sang his self-composed song and a troupe of musicians performed group songs, including the national anthem at the event.

The event was inaugurated by fathers of three martyrs of the Student Movement Against Discrimination, who demanded justice for the killing of their sons.

‘The entire country is traumatised by the killing of young students. We have to suppress the system of fascism through intellectuality and unity. I demand justice for killings, but it is not by hanging killer Hasina,’ said Latiful Islam Shibli.

‘We have to reform the state for a democratic system, laws and justice. We have to continue the movement with the students,’ said Abu Saeed Khan.

‘The previous government formed Ayanaghor and captured a lot of political leaders who were against them. We demand a UN investigation into extrajudicial killings in the past 15 years and demand justice for every killings, every missing and every bullet,’ said Sanjida Islam Tulee.

She said that more than 800 student protesters were killed in violence during their protests.

‘We demand proper treatment of every injured protester undergoing treatment at hospitals across the country. We do not want to see any more deaths of the protesters,’ said Saeed Bari.​

 

[Saif]

Student-mass movement: Death toll keeps rising, 757 till date

he deceased is Md Shumon Mia. He would study at a madrasa at Madhobdi area in Narsingdi. Shumon would regularly join the programmes after the Student Against Discrimination movement had begun demanding the reform in quota in government jobs. He received bullets during the agitation on 20 July. A...

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Student-mass movement: Death toll keeps rising, 757 till date
The deceased include students, children, women, political leaders, activists and people from different walks of life. Some of them died on the spot while some died at the hospitals while undergoing treatment.
Ahmadul HassanDhaka
Updated: 24 Aug 2024, 23: 02

Clashes centering the quota reform movement took place at Badda area in Dhaka. Such clashes also took place across the country. File photo

A student, who received bullet injuries during the quota reform movement, died while undergoing treatment at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University on Friday.

The deceased is Md Shumon Mia. He would study at a madrasa at Madhobdi in Narsingdi. Shumon would regularly join programmes of the Student Against Discrimination movement which demanded reforms in quota in government jobs. He received bullets during the agitation on 20 July. A bullet hit his abdomen. He was brought to Dhaka with a critical injury. He was under the treatment at the hospital for over a month. However, he couldn't be saved.

Some 757 people have died in violence, clashes and firing centering the Student Against Discrimination movement between July 16 and 23 August. The deceased include students, children, women, political leaders-activists and people from different professions. Some of them died on the spot while some died at the hospitals while undergoing treatment.

These deaths from violence and clashes have been confirmed by the people who brought dead bodies to hospitals and relatives of the deceased, 14 hospitals outside Dhaka and 13 hospitals in Dhaka.

Of the deceased, identities of 69 couldn't be ascertained. There were 8 unidentified bodies at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue till yesterday. Detailed information of 157 deceased couldn't be collected as bodies were taken from hospitals immediately.

According to a report of the UN Human Rights Commission, at least 650 people have died in violence between 16 July and 11 August.

The report titled 'Preliminary Analysis of Recent Protests and Unrest in Bangladesh' was published from Geneva on 16 August.

One of the reasons for increasing the number of deaths is that many dead bodies from the spots were not taken to hospitals. In many cases, the relatives took bodies from the spots without postmortem and they are buried in their respective localities. As a result, many incidents in the beginning which caused deaths were not counted. Moreover, many injured are dying in the hospitals.

Analysing the deaths centering the agitation, the trend, nature and chronology of the incidents, the movement of the students and masses can be divided into two. One unit is from 16 July to 3 August and another unit is from 4 August to 20 August. First phase can be considered as the movement for quota reform and the second phase can be considered as the movement for the ouster of the government.

Analysing the picture of deaths in the first phase, it is found that the law enforcing agencies at one stage used additional force to tackle the movement launched for reform of quota in government jobs. On 16 July, six people including four students died. 305 more people died across the country for using lethal weapons in addition to using excessive force from 18 July to 21 July. Later, 30 people died while undergoing treatment till 3 August.

Analysing deaths in the second stage, 116 people died in clashes and violence across the country on 4 August. On the day, it was seen that alongside the law enforcing agencies, many Awami League leaders and activists used lethal weapons.

On 5 August, Sheikh Hasina resigned from the post of prime minister and fled to India. Massive violence took place on the day and the following day. 265 people died in two days (5-6 August). 20 more people, who were injured critically during the clashes and violence, died while undergoing treatment till 20 August.

Deaths higher in Dhaka in the first phase, outside Dhaka in the second phase.

Analysing facts and figures, deaths were higher in Dhaka in the first phase (16 July to 3 August). 246 people died in different areas in the capital during the period. At the same time, at least 95 people died outside the capital.

In the first phase, a higher number of deaths is reported in Jatrabari, Uttara, Mirpur, Mohammadpur, Rampura and Badda. 46 people died in Jatrabari, 31 in Uttara, 29 in Mirpur and 21 in Mirpur.

Analysing information and data of deaths of the second phase (after 3 August and onward), incidents of deaths took place more outside Dhaka. Some 126 people died in Dhaka while 290 died outside Dhaka during the period. Of the deceased, at least 88 are Awami League leaders and activists. Upon the fall of the government, aggrieved persons in many areas carried out attacks on the leaders and activists of Awami League and their houses and establishments were set on fire.

On the contrary, deaths of 15 leaders and activists of BNP and one Chhatra Shibir have been confirmed centering movement for quota reform and the one-point demand for the resignation of the government. However, BNP claimed that 117 leaders, activists and supporters of the party have died. Similarly, Jamaat-e-Islami claimed their 87 leaders and activists have died.

Both BNP and Jamaat said they concealed the information of deaths as they didn't want to give the movement of students and the masses a political colour. Moreover, this strategy was taken to avoid misunderstanding with the general students. Although the movement in the beginning was of the student and later it took the form of the movement of students-masses and the Awami League government was deposed through the mass uprising.

91 students killed

A review of the deaths reveals that the highest number of students died on 18 and 19 July and on 4 August. A total of 25 students were killed on 18 July, 23 died on 19 July and 15 on 4 August. They included school children, college students, university students and madrasa students. So far the deaths of 91 students have been recorded.

The first death at the outset of the clashes and violence took place on 16 July in Rangpur. The police on that day opened fire on Abu Sayeed, a student of Rangpur's Begum Rokeya University. A video taken of that incident shows how he stood on the street, stick in hand and arms widespread, facing the police's firearms. It was seen how a member of the police took aim at him and fired. Once this video went viral, students all over the country rose up in fury and the movement grew intense.

Videos of excessive use of force by the police went viral on social media during the movement. One video showed police firing pellets at a youth non-stop. Another youth came forward to save him but the police simply continued shooting. This incident took place on 20 July in Jatrabari. The youth was Imam Hasan (19). He was a Class 11 student of Government Adamjee Nagar MW College in Narayanganj. His father Mainal Hossain was also a police officer.

Imam Hossain mother Parveen Akhter, speaking to Prothom Alo, said in angry reproach, "The police shot dead a policeman's son, what recompense did my husband get?"

Most were shot dead

Prothom Alo perused the records of 13 hospitals in Dhaka and Narayanganj to learn how the persons were killed. Also, 8 staff correspondents and 49 correspondents of Prothom Alo spoke to the families and relatives of those who were killed to find out how they died. It was learnt that of 757 killed persons, at least 424 were killed by bullets.

From 16 July to 3 August at least 277 and from 4 August onwards 144 were killed in gunfire, it was confirmed. Those who were shot dead include 89 infants and children and 4 women.

A video went viral on Facebook of a conversation between the deputy commissioner (DC) of the police's Wari zone at the time, Mohammad Iqbal Hossain, and the home minister Asaduzzaman. They spoke of using excessive police force and lethal weapons to suppress the movement.

In the video, the police official Iqbal Hossain told the former home minister Asaduzzaman, "We are having to shoot to kill, sir. When we shoot, one gets killed, one gets injured. One goes down, the rest don't. That's the scariest thing, sir, and worrisome too."

The home minister was flanked by home secretary of that time Jahangir Alam and inspector general of police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun.

In Jatrabari alone 86 persons were killed in gunfire during the movement. Even on 5 August, the day that the government fell, at least 36 were shot dead in Jatrabari. Jatrabari is a part of the police's Wari zone. The police officer had been the DC of Wari zone at the time.

Concerned persons say, police indiscriminately opened fire in Jatrabari and killed people. That is why the people are furious at the police. Seven policemen were killed there too. One member of RAB and one of the Ansar force were killed too. One body of one policeman was even strung up in Jatrabari.

According to the police headquarters, 44 members of the police force were killed after 16 July. Other than that, two members of the Ansars, one RAB and one BGB member also died.

Students and women took part in this movement in large numbers. Of the 424 persons shot dead by the law enforcement agencies, 83 were women and children. Another 10 women and children were killed in fire and other attacks.

Professor Tanzim Uddin Khan of Dhaka University's department of international relations, speaking to Prothom Alo about the use of excessive force including firearms to suppress the student-people's movement, said the state machinery had become a one-person show. The main aim was to safeguard that one person. It didn't matter how many common people were killed in the process.

Tanzim Uddin Khan said, the repression and the killing to which the Awami League government resorted in order to suppress the movement had made everybody unsafe. When staying alive became a huge challenge, then people begin to forget all divides, whether ideological or otherwise. The struggle to survive draws everyone together. That is what happened during the student and people's movement. It played a big role in uniting everyone. This movement also brought forward the matter of state reforms.

*This article, originally published in Prothom Alo print and online editions, has been rewritten in English by Ayesha Kabir and Rabiul Islam​

 

[Saif]

Student-people’s movement: Children’s death count rises to 89

At least 89 infants and children have been killed during the violence and attacks centering the movement for quota reforms in government jobs and the demonstrations demanding resignation of the government, according to the latest count.

en.prothomalo.com

Student-people’s movement: Children’s death count rises to 89
Naznin AkhterDhaka
Updated: 28 Aug 2024, 19: 59

A young student injured in the Students against Discrimination movement being carried to safety, 3 August, Cumilla Police Lines area File Photo

At least 89 infants and children have been killed during the violence and attacks centering the movement for quota reforms in government jobs and the demonstrations demanding resignation of the government, according to the latest count.

On 18 August Prothom Alo had reported the death of 70 infants and children.

Some of the children whose deaths have been added to the records died while undergoing treatment at hospital, and information of some of the deaths was found later.

According to Prothom Alo, 758 persons died during the student-people’s uprising and later. Of this, 341 died between 16 July to 3 August. And 417 died between 4 to 14 August.

The infants and children died from pellets and bullets when the law enforcement agencies opened fire to suppress the demonstrations, from attacks and firing of Awami League leaders and activists and also in fire and attacks after the fall of the government.

Most of the young teens who were killed had taken part in the demonstrations. But some of the infants and the children were killed while playing in their own homes or on the roofs of their homes, watching the demonstrations, and even in victory processions with their parents.

Shahriar Khan Anas (16), a student of Class 10 at Gandaria Ideal High School in Old Dhaka left a letter at home on 5 August, saying that he was going to join the movement. He wrote, “Ma, I am going to join the processions. I cannot stay back. Rather than staying at home like a coward, it is much better to join the struggle and be shot dead like a hero.”

Anas was shot dead on 5 August at Chankarpool in the capital city. His father Sharia Khan handed over the letter to Prothom Alo, saying, let the people know about Anas. How much patriotism it takes to prepare oneself and leave home!

89pc die of bullet wounds

According to the Children Act 2013, anyone under 18 years of age is considered a child. From the information Prothom Alo had received all the deaths, it has been seen that 89 of the killed are infants and children.

A review of hospital records and information from relatives, it has been found that the bodies of 79 of these children had pellet and lethal bullet wounds. And 9 of the children died in fire set to buildings and vehicles. One child died of injuries received from the splinters of sound grenades.

The youngest of the children who were killed was Abdul Ahad (4). He hadn’t even begun going to school. On 20 July he was with his mother and father in the verandah of their eighth-floor flat in Rayerbagh watching the demonstrations when a bullet hit him and he died. There are two little girls among those who died too. They are Riya Gope (6) of Narayanganj and Naima Sultana (15) of Uttara. Riya was shot while on the roof of her house and Naima was shot in her verandah.

Videos of the killing of the many of the children have been recorded on people’s mobile phones. Many of these videos have gone viral on social media. These incidents can be proved by scrutinising these videos, gathering information collected, witnesses and other evidence---Sara Hossain, Senior lawyer of the Supreme Court.

Badiul Alam Majumdar, president of the National Girl Child Advocacy Forum and secretary of Shashashoner Jonno Nagorik (SHUJAN) termed the killings to suppress the agitation as the most despicable and inhuman crime. Speaking to Prothom Alo, he said that bullets were fired at people to create panic. It is essential to include these incidents as crimes against humanity and ensure stern punishment to those responsible. The government must stand by the families of the killed and the wounded.

More in Dhaka

The first death that took place centering the movement for quota reforms in government jobs took place on 16 July. Six were killed on that day. There were no children among them. The first incident of any child being killed was on 18 July. From that day till 4 August, there were at least 56 children. The Awami League government fell on 5 August. From that day till 11 August, at least 33 more children were killed, it has been learnt.

A review of the deaths shows that 57 of the children were killed in Dhaka (including Savar and Tongi). Outside of Dhaka 32 had died.

Of the children killed, 42 were students. 29 of the children were involved in labour. Some of them worked in shops, some were footpath vendors, some were garments factory workers, and some were construction workers or hawkers. The identity of four children remains unknown. Their bodies were lying at Dhaka Medical College Hospital and Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital. The profession of the remaining 17 children was not known. One child (Ahad) hadn’t started going to school yet.

Md Mostafa Zaman Samudra (16) of Rampura in the capital has passed this SSC this year. He joined the demonstrations on 19 July. He was hit in the chest by a bullet and died. His father Moniruzzaman Tajal told Prothom Alo they had no idea that Samudra had joined the protests. Later they learnt from friends that he had been joining the demonstrations from 16 July.

Moniruzzaman said, “Victory has been won, but my son never got to see it.”

Priority in seeking justice

Never have so many people died in any movement or agitation in Bangladesh. Never before have so many children been killed.

Senior lawyer of the Supreme Court Sara Hossain has stressed the need to place priority on justice for the children killed during the student’s movement. She told Prothom Alo, videos of the killing of the many of the children have been recorded on people’s mobile phones. Many of these videos have gone viral on social media. These incidents can be proved by scrutinising these videos, gathering information collected, witnesses and other evidence. She said, rather than waiting for the bereaved families, the state should come forward to file cases, even if just one or two. This will give people confidence.

Sara Hossain said, if cases are filed in a scattered matter against those who ordered the killing and other such powerful people, there is the fear that these cases will simply drag on. However, those who ordered the killings in no way can be left off the hook.​