Abdullah Al Roman. Photo : Collected

By Syed Altefat Hossain

RUPGANJ, Narayanganj, Feb 14, 2025 (BSS) – Seventeen-year-old Abdullah Al Roman had a simple but powerful dream to change his family's fate by securing a government job after completing his education.

But his aspirations were brutally shattered on August 5, when bullets fired by alleged Awami League (AL) supporters ended his young life during a victory procession in the Chanpara area here, following the fall of the nearly 16-year-long fascist regime.

Roman, a 10th grader at Nabakisholoy High School and Girl’s College at Chanpara in Rupganj, was the eldest of four brothers. His father Anwar Hossain (39) is a private car driver while his mother Rojina (36) is a housewife.

Since the family has been living on a piece of Khas land making a shanty-type tin-shed house at Chanpara area of Rupganj in the district and struggling financially, Roman observed the education as the key to build a better future.

Among Roman’s younger brothers, Abdullah (7) is a first grader at a local school while Ahmed (5) and Mohammad (3) are yet to get enrolled in school.

“My son dreamed of a government job and wanted to educate his younger brothers. But the Awami terrorists didn’t let him fulfill his dreams. They killed him before he even became an adult,” Roman’s mother Rojina said in a tearful statement.

According to Rojina, local BNP activists had organized a victory procession after Sheikh Hasina fled the country. For years after years, BNP supporters had lived in fear under AL rule and were unable to stay in their homes due to alleged torture by the ruling party members. Even after Sheikh Hasina’s resignation, AL supporters vowed to prevent BNP activists from entering the area.

Therefore, Rojina said, in the evening on August 5, BNP leaders urged locals via mosque loudspeakers to join their celebration in the Chanpara area here.
Hearing the call, she said her son, Roman, stepped out of their house to join the victory procession.
“Before leaving, my son asked his grandmother (my mother) to make parathas for him, promising to eat it upon returning. But my son never came back,” Rojina burst into tears while her mother, Taslima, was also weeping just standing beside her.

As the procession was moving forward, gunfire erupted. AL-backed armed men allegedly opened fire on the crowd, injuring at least 15 people. Roman, however, was the only one who died on the spot.

“At one stage, AL terrorists opened fire at the procession while at least 15 people were injured. My son was hit by 18 spray bullets. Immediately, we took my son to a nearby hospital, but the duty doctor declared him dead,” said Roman’s wailing mother.

Rojina said later they received the body from the hospital and laid Roman at the local graveyard at Chanpara the next morning (August 6).

The martyrdom of Roman, however, exposed his family to a total wilderness emotionally as his memories still haunt his family members. His mother still feels his existence while his younger brothers miss him badly.

When Roman’s mother was talking to this correspondent, his younger brothers were observed listening to the conversation very attentively and stared at this correspondent steadfastly.
Seeking justice, Roman’s family filed a case with Rupganj Police Station against 105 individuals, including 45 named accused and 50-60 unnamed ones. Sheikh Hasina, Obaidul Quader, and Golam Dastagir Gazi are among the prime accused.

“I want justice for my son. I want capital punishment for those who killed my son. I want to see them walk to the gallows,” Rojina demanded.