During the anti-discrimination student movement, Abu Sayed was martyred after bravely facing bullets fired by police on July 16 last year. Once again, Bangladesh broke free from autocracy. But Abu Sayed’s death not only triggered change across the country—it changed his family forever.
Many now believe it is the family’s responsibility to uphold Abu Sayed’s ideals. Some even suggest it is time for his family to step into politics. In Babonpur village of Pirganj, Rangpur, politics is now knocking on the door of martyr Abu Sayed’s father, Mokbul Hossain—a simple farmer.
On July 2, speaking from the veranda of his mud house, Mokbul Hossain shared his thoughts with Jago News.
He said several major political parties have approached him and his other sons with proposals to join politics. However, the family does not wish to align with any particular party. Mokbul wishes to keep his martyred son politically neutral.
“Everyone wants us to join a party, but we don’t go,” said Mokbul. “We want to stay neutral. We don’t want to belong to any particular party. We want Abu Sayed to belong to everyone.”
Mokbul acknowledged that age has caught up with him and that his sons—Abu Sayed’s brothers—now make most of the family’s decisions. “We want to remain neutral,” he repeated, “but I don’t know what will happen. My sons often travel to Dhaka. I don’t know what they plan to do.”
When asked which parties offered political roles, Mokbul said, “We received offers from Jamaat and BNP.”
However, he added that the National Citizen Party (NCP)—formed by leaders associated with the anti-discrimination student movement—has not made any direct proposals yet. Still, his sons are in contact with leaders like Hasnat Abdullah from the NCP.
On July 1, an NCP delegation, including convener Nahid Islam, visited Abu Sayed’s house and paid respects at his grave. They informed Mokbul that the government had decided to rename “Abu Sayed Day” to “July Martyrs’ Day,” a change that left him displeased.
Mokbul Hossain, father of martyr Abu Sayed, sits in silent grief at his house.—Jago News photo
“The day should carry Abu Sayed’s name,” Mokbul insisted.
He also expressed frustration that the government’s promised compensation—Tk 30 lakh and a monthly allowance for families of the July Uprising martyrs—has not yet been delivered.
“I heard on TV that Dr Yunus’s government announced Tk 30 lakh for each martyr’s family and monthly allowances like those for freedom fighters,” he said. “But we haven’t received anything yet.”
Every day, the memory of his son’s death haunts Mokbul—filled with grief, anger, and uncertainty. He said he was unaware that Abu Sayed had joined the movement.
“I only found out after his death,” he recalled. “Around 3 pm, a boy from the neighbouring house called his mother from Dhaka and told her. I had just returned from the field and was resting. Suddenly, the boy’s mother came and said, ‘Something happened to Abu Sayed!’”
“They were crying as if he were their own child. I was lost. Later, we learned that Abu Sayed had been shot. And within moments, we were told—he was dead.”
Though his brothers rushed to Rangpur Medical College Hospital, the body wasn’t there. Police had taken it from fellow students and kept it in the morgue. Around 3 am, under police escort, Abu Sayed’s body was brought home.
“His chest was shredded, soaked in blood,” Mokbul said. “He was bathed in the courtyard. As the water drained, it carried his blood with it.”
That night, they were pressured to bury Abu Sayed. “Senior police officers told me it must be done at night. I clearly refused. Then they said to bury him by 6 am. I didn’t agree. Finally, we settled on 8 am,” he said.
During the funeral, the imam was chased off for calling Sheikh Hasina a dictator. He fled to safety. Days later, Mokbul’s family was taken to Dhaka, where they met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Ganabhaban.
“My sons demanded justice for their brother,” Mokbul recalled. “Hasina said there would be an investigation. Then she handed over savings certificates worth Tk 10 lakh. I didn’t want to take it.”
The monthly interest from that government saving certificate supports the household to this day.
Later, with a change in government, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir gave them Tk 3 lakh. Jamaat-e-Islami gave Tk 3.5 lakh. Jatiya Party gave Tk 65,000. A local BNP leader contributed Tk 60,000. Ordinary citizens also stepped in—some gave Tk 2,000, others Tk 5,000.
Mokbul is a simple farmer. Though he couldn’t afford to send most of his children for higher education, his youngest son, Abu Sayed, had reached university—driven by dedication, persistence, and the courage to dream.
“We dreamt our son would get a job and we would die peacefully,” Mokbul said. “But that dream never came true.”
Abu Sayed, a student of the English department at Begum Rokeya University, was killed in police firing in Rangpur on July 16, 2024, during the student-led quota reform protests.—Jago News photo
More than a year since Abu Sayed’s death, justice remains incomplete. “The university vice-chancellor, proctor, and two police officers were arrested,” he noted. “But others are still at large. Sheikh Hasina gave the order to shoot. She must be brought back and held accountable first.”
Choking back emotion, he added, “My son was brilliant. But talent alone isn’t enough—getting a job is still very hard for the poor. A boy next door completed his master’s degree but is still unemployed. Abu Sayed feared the same fate. Maybe that’s why he joined the movement against the quota system.”
Though his heart is heavy with loss, Mokbul carries a sense of pride as the father of a martyr. “Those who were imprisoned during Hasina’s rule prayed to God. Maybe my son’s blood made those prayers come true. They are now home and speaking freely.”
“My son’s blood freed the nation, shook the tyrants,” he said. “But even now, you can’t get a job without a bribe. Corruption hasn’t stopped. Nobody can run the country properly.”
After a pause, he concluded, “People come to visit the grave, to comfort us. I don’t cry much—but when I see people traveling from far away, my chest feels heavy.”