Dhaka: Six-year-old Jabir Ibrahim was on his way to join the student-people uprising on August 5, 2024, with his family holding placards reading ‘We Want Justice’. Jabir, a nursery student of K.G. Model School in Uttara Dakshinkhan, had a fervent sense of patriotism. The family was among the protesters near Uttara Scholastica School when chaos erupted. Around 4:30 pm, approximately 15 to 20 policemen approached from the north, firing sound grenades and blank shots at the crowd. Amid the ensuing panic, Jabir, carried by his father Kabir Hossain Bhuiyan, was struck by a bullet. Tragically, he succumbed to his injuries due to excessive bleeding while being rushed to the hospital.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Jabir’s family claims he is the youngest martyr of the July-August uprising in Bangladesh. His father, Kabir, expressed a heart-wrenching sentiment, stating, “I sacrificed my beloved son for the country. If the country and its people remain better in exchange for his son’s life, then only my and our family’s sacrifice will be worthwhile.” Kabir demands exemplary punishment for those involved in what he termed genocide.
In a similarly tragic incident, six-and-a-half-year-old Riya Gop was fatally shot in Narayanganj Sadar. During a street clash near her home, Riya was on the rooftop playing when her father, hearing the disturbance, went to bring her to safety. As he held her, a bullet struck Riya in the head, and she died in her father’s arms. The only child of Deepak Kumar Gop and Beauty Ghosh, Riya’s death has left her parents devastated, ending all their dreams in a single moment.
Another young victim, 7-year-old Abdul Ahad, was caught in the crossfire during a clash between police and protesters in Jatrabari. Watching from his balcony, Ahad was suddenly hit and bled profusely before being rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Despite efforts to save him, Ahad succumbed to his injuries that night. He was later buried in his family’s graveyard.
Naima Sultana, 15, was also a victim of the violent clashes. While retrieving clothes from her balcony, she was shot in the head. Her mother, Ainun Nahar, recounted the tragic event, marking a day of profound loss for the family. Teenager Shafiq Uddin Ahmed Ahnaf, 17, who participated in the uprising, was shot dead in Mirpur 10. His aspirations to make his family proud were tragically cut short.
Another casualty, Abdullah Al Mahin, 16, was killed by shotgun pellets in front of the RAJUK Commercial Complex in Azampur, Uttara. The only child of Jamil Hossain and Samira Jahan, Abdullah’s death has left a void in his family.
The Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs reported that a total of 132 children and adolescents and 11 women were martyred in the student uprising. Women and Children’s Affairs Adviser Sharmin S. Murshid confirmed the authenticity of this information.