CHATTOGRAM, Dec 31, (BSS)- Md Faruk, 32, a furniture shop worker embraced martyrdom during the July mass uprising leaving his wife and two siblings in a world of uncertain future.  

Faruk received severe bullet injuries at Muradpur area in the city and later was declared dead at Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) on July 16, when student’s agitation for quota reform movement had started getting momentum in Chattogram as elsewhere across the country.

Faruk is survived by his wife Sima Akter, 25,  elder son Fahim – 11 , a grade seven student at city’s Bagmoniram High School while  daughter Fahima,7, a KG level student in local Mohila Samithy Primary School. 

Sima became widow with her two kids in the early stage of her life following husband Faruk’s untimely but tragic death. Sudden death of Faruk, the family’s only bread earner pushed her to begin uphill struggle to fulfil their unfinished dream of ushering a bright future of their kids by ensuring proper education.  
Faruk with his family had been living in a teen-shed rented house of one room at Panir Tank in Lalkhan Bazar area in the city. Faruk, son of poor day laborer Abdul, 65, was second among 6 brothers and 4 sisters, hailed from Shariyatpur village under Begumganj upazila of Noakhali district. Father and all other five brothers of Faruk are either van driver or bay laborer.   

Family and witnesses said Faruk was injured heavily as 2 bullets pierced his chest and back when police , armed goons belong to Juba League and Chattra League made reckless firing to disperse the student-led huge gathering on midday of July 16 in Muradpur area. Faruk was a technician of a furniture shop in nearby Muradpur area and received bullets while he was returning back his workplace after having launch. 

Sources said bullet-wound Faruk fell at nearby road Island at one stage of trying to escape from the hotspot. Passer-by 2 Madrasha students took Faruk to CMCH by a rickshaw ignoring huge risks. Getting information, a brother of Faruk and Sima rushed hurriedly to CMCH emergency department and traced Faruk after frantic searching as blood-wet body of Faruk was very hard to be identified. 

Sima Akter told BSS that 2 Madrasha students who were unknown to Faruk were tried their best and taken huge risks to save Faruk both at the spot and CMCH. The rescuers informed her that her husband was still alive at CMCH but breath his last at 4 p.m without getting any treatment as he was only kept on a bed there until death. 

“Faruk could have been survived had the physicians-as a human being at least provide him required treatment on time to save life a dying patient” pale-looking Sima’s voice once stopped with continued weeping. Body of Faruk was laid to rest at a family graveyard of father-in-laws village of Kutumpur under Chandina upazila in Cumilla district.  
  
Sima said they got married 12 years ago with family mediation following their intimacy co-incidentally and they have started living in Chattogram city as Faruk has no adequate ancestral place at his village home.

With emotion-choked voice, Sima recalled their sweet memories of couple life narrating her husband’s deep love and affection to her saying “he was very polite, caring for both me and my kids. Despite of financial hardship, he barred me of working outside and asked me to take care properly to child and their education”. 

“ Faruk’s only dream was to grow their two child with proper education aiming at to ensure their bright future. Now who feed us, how I continue education of our child and how I fulfil his dream as we were depended on only his earnings” Sima said.  

May father is security guard of a school and he is trying to give me little support which is not adequate to bear our daily expenses. 

Chattogram Metropolitan Police Commissioner has provided me a job at Dampara Police line hospital on temporary basis and with these little earnings, I somehow meeting my daily expenses with serious hardship, she said. 

Newly appointed Chattogram Divisional Commissioner Dr. Md Ziauddin, Deputy Commissioner Farida Khanom and Civil Surgeon Dr. Zahangir Aalm along with some other dignitaries came to my tiny house to console me and assured of providing all possible help so that i could maintain a modest life. 

Sima Akter started seeing hope of freeing herself from grime future after getting assurance from different quarters but a sense of uncertainty was still engulfed her as the promise she got has not yet met. 

Sima urged the government to ensure proper justice by giving punishments to those responsible for brutal killing of her beloved husband Faruk. 

“ I am hopeful of and earnestly appeal to the government to do something for my family in absence of my husband who sacrificed his life for a noble cause –to free the country from misrule and injustice” Sima expressed her desire in a touchy voice.