Mamun Mia. Photo: BSS

 
By Md Mamun Islam
 
RANGPUR, March 25, 2025 (BSS) – Struggling against poverty since childhood, Mamun Mia, 34, a young man of energetic character, never lost the courage to move forward and change his destiny through perseverance and hard work.
 
Born into a poor family in the remote Adam Baraipara village of Chhawla union in Pirgachha upazila of Rangpur, Mamun had to struggle a lot to study up to class eight in a local school.
 
Then, Mamun left his village for the capital Dhaka city 18 years ago in search of fortune and to free his poor family from poverty.
 
Moving here and there and to different places within his means, Mamun started working in a garment factory.
 
Soon, he realized that his meager income was not enough to fulfill his dream of freeing his family from poverty and building a brighter future.
 
Based on his efforts over the years, Mamun launched a small-scale clothing factory called 'Bismillah Fashion' in partnership with his friend Masudur Rahman of Dhaka city in Mirpur-1 area a few years ago.
 
Everything was going according to his plan. On January 12, 2023, he also married Sharmin Akhter Lata, 30.
 
However, all his dreams were completely shattered when he was shot dead by police while participating in the indomitable victory rally in Mirpur area after fascist Sheikh Hasina fled the country on August 5.
 
Mamun was the eldest of four children, including two sons and two daughters, to his parents.
 
His father, Azgar Ali, 60, worked in a pipe manufacturing factory in the capital and had been living in a mess in the old Dhaka city for the last 10 years.
 
Mamun’s mother, Taslima Begum, 55, is a housewife and lives in a house built on just eight decimals of their land in Adam Baraipara village.
 
His sisters Nasrin Akhter , 33, and Ankhi Begum, 26, are married and live with their husbands in different places in Rangpur district.
 
His younger brother Saiful Islam Sabuj, 24, could not continue his education due to the family's extreme financial hardship.
 
Mamun took Sabuj to Dhaka a few years ago. He is married. He works in the garment industry.
 
On January 12 in 2023, Mamun married Sharmin Akhter Lata, who completed masters in Bengali literature from Eden College in Dhaka in 2019.
 
Lata’s father Lutfar Rahman of village Paharpur under Delduar police station of Tangail district was a businessman, who died two years ago. Her mother Shushila Akter, 50, is a widow.
 
Now, Lata serves as a Call Center Executive at the Deen Mohammad Eye Hospital and Research Center and lives in a rented room with her mother in the Dhanmondi area.
 
Talking to BSS, Mamun's family members described what happened to him shortly after Sheikh Hasina's fascist regime was ousted by the anti-discrimination student-people's movement during the July-August uprising.
 
His younger brother Sabuj said Mamun was taking orders from buyers and making shirts, jerseys, pants, trousers, children's clothing at his 'Bismillah Fashion' and supplying those to the buying business establishments.
 
Since the beginning of the anti-discrimination student movement, Mamun had been regularly participating in protest marches with students and the public.
 
On August 5, Mamun went to his business establishment, 'Bismillah Fashion' in the morning. By 1:30 pm, news of the fall of the fascist Sheikh Hasina spread.
 
“Along with Mamun, I came out of the ‘Bismillah Fashion’ factory in Mirpur-1 and participated in the victory rally taken out by the students and public and went up to the Agargaon area,” he said.
 
Sabuj did not proceed from the Agargaon area. However, Mamun was marching with the huge victory rally.
 
At that time, chases and counter chases ensued between the protesters and police at the Mirpur-1 roundabout when the police indiscriminately fired tear gas shells, rubber bullets and opened fire on the protesters in front of the Mirpur police station.
 
Sabuj said, “The police opened fire on Mamun there, when armed terrorists from the Awami League and its affiliates also attacked the victory rally.”
 
He said, “A bullet entered Mamun’s left back and exited through the left side of his chest at around 2:30 pm. After that, the students took him to Alok Hospital in Mirpur-10 area at around 3:30 pm.”
 
After receiving the information from someone on Mamun’s mobile phone, Sabuj with Mamun’s friend Russell immediately rushed to the hospital.
 
Being suggested by the Alok Hospital authority, Sabuj started for Dhaka Medical College Hospital with Mamun by an ambulance.
 
“But, due to indiscriminate police firing on the way, we could move up to the Bangladesh Specialized Hospital where the doctor declared Mamun dead at 4:30 pm,” Sabuj said.
 
Later, the body of Mamun was brought to his ancestral village Adam Baraipara in Rangpur on August 6 and buried there at their family graveyard at 10 am.
 
Mamun’s wife Lata told BSS that she was bearing a nine-month pregnancy in July during the anti-discrimination student movement.
 
Her husband Mamun took her to his village Adam Baraipara in May for her delivery in a better Rangpur hospital.
 
“But, since July, I fell ill after witnessing the killing of innocent students including Shaheed Abu Sayeed of Begum Rokeya University by the police and the growth of my unborn child was hampered,” she said.
 
“At one point, on July 21, I started feeling severe pain due to abnormal bleeding. I was first taken to Surjer Hashi Clinic and later to Rangpur Medical College Hospital. But, I did not get treatment anywhere,” she said.
 
Later, Lata was taken to the modern Multicare Hospital in Rangpur city where she gave birth to a stillborn baby girl through a caesarean section on the same day.
 
“After losing my child before birth and later my husband Mamun, I lost everything. Everyone in Mamun’s family had hearts and a ray of hope. I want justice for my husband’s murder,” she said.
 
Mamun’s father Azgar Ali said he too fell ill after coming to Adam Baraipara village with Mamun’s body.
 
“I have lost my last strength after losing my beloved son Mamun. I cannot return to my workplace in Dhaka city. I am now a disabled person,” said Azgar Ali in an emotional voice and tears.
 
Mamun’s mother Taslima Begum said, “I have lost my son Mamun. My husband has become mentally challenged and has lost his ability to work. I don’t know how long we will be able to survive in poverty without Mamun.”
 
So far, the July Shaheed Smriti Foundation has given Taka 2.50 lakh each to Mamun’s father and his wife Lata, and Jamaat-e-Islami has given Taka one-lakh each to Mamun’s father and Lata.
 
In addition, the As-Sunnah Foundation and the UNO of Pirgachha upazila have given Taka one-lakh and Taka 10,000 to Mamun’s parents, respectively.
 
“After paying off the Taka 1.50 lakh loan and other living expenses, now we have no money left to make a living,” said Mamun’s mother Taslima Begum.
 
“I paid back the Taka two-lakh that was borrowed when my husband set up his small-scale ‘Bismillah Fashion’ factory,” said Lata.
 
She urged the interim government to give her a government job and her husband’s SSC-passed younger sister, Ankhi Begum, another job for their survival.