by Md Mamun Islam

RANGPUR, Oct 4, 2024 (BSS) - Contrary to her daily normal routine life, the  mental state of Shaheed Abu Sayeed’s mother Monwara Begum was filled with unknown anxiety on the morning of July 16 when Abu Sayeed embraced martyrdom.

“I woke up in the morning with a restless and disordered mind. I offered the Fazr prayers. But, an unknown fear engulfed my mind. I was afraid that something bad would happen,” said Monwara. 
 
Nothing was happening normally with her like the other days. The mother’s troubled mind sensed something unusual beforehand in the morning.
 
Even, no one in the house could have imagined that something terrible might happen that day to Sayeed, the eighth child among nine offspring of his parents, to make him a heroic legend in the national history of Bangladesh.
 
“Due to my troubled mental state, I couldn’t go to my daughter Mamata Begum’s house on her invitation in the nearby village that day,” Monwara said.
 
Sayeed’s mother narrated all these to BSS at her home in village Babonpur of Madankhali union under Pirganj upazila recently about how the day was for her on July 16.
 
On the day, her brave son Abu Sayeed became martyr in police firing while taking part in the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement at Parker Mour area near Begum Rokeya University.
 
Sayeed's supreme sacrifice instantly ignited the student-mass uprising adding the decisive momentum to it, propelling the second independence movement to free the nation from the 15-year long dictatorship of the then fascist Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
 
Recounting that fateful day she said, “Like every day, I was preparing to cook rice in the morning. So, I wanted to open the nearby room and take rice and vegetables from there for cooking.”
 
But, she couldn’t find the key to unlock that room. Everyone in the house looked for the key everywhere till 10 am. But the key wasn’t found.
 
“Later, we called a lock repair mechanic to the house. After breaking the lock, I entered the room and took out rice and potatoes for cooking,” she said.
 
She started cooking rice, keeping potatoes inside the pot to prepare ‘Bhorta’. But she couldn’t concentrate on cooking food.
 
After boiling rice with potato, she had to take boiled potato out of rice to prepare ‘Bhorta’ with it. But, she forgot to do that although everyone at home was hungry by noon.
 
“When Sayeed’s father Mokbul Hossain wanted to have food, I remembered that I forgot to prepare ‘Bhorta’ and I did not have the energy to take boiled potato out of rice and prepare the same,” she said.
 
Then she served ‘Panta Bhat’ to her husband and ate a little too.
 
“Later, I did not have the appetite and didn’t eat any food throughout the day. I had no control over my mind,” Monwara said.
 
Recalling the happenings on July 16, Sayeed’s younger sister Sumi Khatun said all thoughts, hopes and aspirations of the family members and relatives developed centering Sayeed who was dear to everyone.

She said, "Suddenly, Sayeed's friend Shahriar Hossain told his mother, our next-door neighbor, about Sayeed's martyrdom on the phone at 3:30 pm from Rangpur city.
 
“Shahriar also studies in the same university. His mother loved Sayeed like her own son. She started crying. She could not inform my parents about the sad news,” said an emotional Sumi.

Ramjan Ali, elder brother of Sayeed, said his cousin Ruhul Amin, two-year senior to Sayeed, is also studying in the same university. They lived in the same mess in Lalbag area of Rangpur.
 
“At around 3:30 pm on July 16, Ruhul informed me over the mobile phone that Sayeed was killed in police firing near the university,” Ali said, adding that he immediately ran to his father and mother at home.

 “Entering their room, I found my parents resting. Father instantly asked me whether anything happened! Hiding the sad news considering his health condition, I told him that Sayeed was injured in an accident and we have to go to Rangpur,” Ali continued.
 
He informed the news to his elder brother-in-law Abdul Malek and another cousin Moktar Ali on the phone.
 
By this time, videos of Sayeed’s martyrdom in police firing became viral on YouTube. Many people with mobile phones rushed to our house to tell my parents about Sayeed’s death.
 
"My father and mother burst into tears. The news of Sayeed's death was like a 'thunder without a cloud' to everyone at home and in the village and surrounding areas...our little house was soon filled with mourners...." he said.
 
Ramjan Ali with Ruhul Amin and other relatives soon rushed to Rangpur Medical College Hospital where the body of Sayeed was taken by police.
 
“We had to go through terrible struggles at the hospital. Police administration rudely behaved with us. Despite facing police threat, we received Sayeed’s body from the hospital morgue at midnight,” he said.
 
Later, police and local administrations under strict security measures brought the body to Sayeed’s house at 3 am next day as a pall of gloom descended over the house.
 
“After two namaz-e-janaza held at nearby Jafarpara Kamil Madrasa ground with participation of thousands of students, teachers and people, Sayeed’s body was buried in our small yard at 11:30 am on July 17,” Ali said.
 
Mokbul Hossain said, “My son Sayeed was very brilliant. He continued studying amid adverse economic conditions. He always thought for the welfare of his family members, relatives and local people.”
 
Mother Monwara Begum said, “Sayeed was very kind to the poor and distressed people. If he was alive, he would become a big official and never take bribes. He had full faith in Almighty Allah and offered five times prayer regularly.”

 “It’s like a dream to us now that Almighty Allah gifted Sayeed to us. He was perhaps born just to become a martyr and become a heroic symbol of patriotism to free the country from the fascism and dictatorship of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,” the couple said.
 
At the cost of the supreme sacrifice of Sayeed and many other brave students and people, the couple wants people to be able to move freely. They don’t  want any more dictators to be created so that the country can prosper in a peaceful manner.

Demanding justice, Sayeed's sister Sumi Khatun said her brother was brutally shot dead by the police in broad daylight in the presence of thousands of people.

"Every criminal responsible for killing my brother Sayeed must be hanged in open daylight in the presence of thousands of people to ensure justice,” said Sumi.

She demanded that Sayeed be given the title of Bir Shrestha.
 
She urged the present interim government to take necessary steps so that the people across the world could know Shaheed Sayed as a heroic symbol for revolution to achieve rights and independence.
 
“I request the government to establish a mosque, madrasha and construct a road in our Babonpur village and nearby Jafarpara area and name those after Shaheed Abu Sayeed to immortalise him,” Sumi added.
 
Md. Mezbahur Rahman, Headmaster of Jafarpara High School where Shaheed Abu Sayeed studied in school life, said that Sayeed was a very talented student and humble, polite in nature. He was also a helpful person.
 
Calling Shaheed Abu Sayeed a national hero and a true patriot, General Secretary of Madankhali Union BNP Md. Shahjahan Ali Sarkar said that the country will be grateful to him and will remember his unique bravery and contribution to the nation.