Rangpur: Family members, relatives, fellow fighters, and friends have gathered to remember Abu Sayeed, who embraced martyrdom on July 16, 2024, during the Anti-discrimination Student Movement. They have called for a swift trial in the Abu Sayeed murder case and other related cases from the July uprising within the tenure of the interim government, expressing their faith in the interim government and the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT).
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Abu Sayeed’s first martyrdom anniversary will be observed tomorrow with due solemnity and dignity. Born into a poor family in Babanpur village of Pirganj upazila of Rangpur, Abu Sayeed was the youngest of six brothers and had three sisters. His family members stated that his loss has left the family in despair.
On July 16, 2024, Abu Sayeed, a student coordinator at Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur (BRUR), was killed in police firing in front of the university’s Gate No 1. His martyrdom stirred protesters, transforming the quota reform movement into an anti-government movement. Despite a severe crackdown, then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was unable to maintain her position and fled the country on August 5.
Abu Sayeed’s father, Md Mokbul Hossain, expressed that his son was a beacon of hope for their family. “It’s been a year since Abu Sayeed’s martyrdom, but it feels like yesterday,” Mokbul Hossain told BSS recently, expressing hope for the completion of the murder case trial at the ICT soon. “I want to see the killers of my son and all July martyrs punished,” he added.
Standing next to Abu Sayeed’s grave, his mother Monwara Begum shared the unbearable loss and mentioned that the family would find some relief once the trial is completed. Abu Sayeed’s elder brother, Abu Hossain, thanked the interim government for its commitment to completing the trials within its tenure. Another brother, Ramzan Ali, expressed his grief over his brother’s eternal rest in their courtyard.
Sayeed’s younger sister, Sumi Khatun, recalled the simplicity of their life before the tragedy. “We had very little, but we were happy sharing everything with our brother. Now we have more, but no happiness. I want nothing but the capital punishment for the killers,” she said.
Md Rahamat Ali, a CSE student and former coordinator at BRUR, acknowledged the ICT’s progress and the commencement of the trial. He emphasized the need for a verdict soon, aiming for it to be a landmark in the judiciary demonstrating that justice prevails.
Shamsur Rahman Suman, a fellow coordinator and Bengali department student, expressed hope that the interim government would fulfill its promise, stating, “Completing the July massacre trials will be a national milestone.”
Tawhidul Haque Siam, a fourth-year BBA student who sustained serious injuries while trying to save Sayeed, continues to carry around 60 splinters in his body. He recalled Sayeed’s stand against injustice and discrimination.
BRUR Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Md Showkat Ali remembered Abu Sayeed as a proud member of the university community, acknowledging that his supreme sacrifice brought national and international recognition to BRUR. He expressed that justice in his case would bring peace to the families of all July martyrs and to the nation as a whole.