A pall of gloom descended upon family of Hafez Sajjad Hossain Sabbir as he was shot dead by police when he participated in a protest under the banner of Anti-Discrimination Student Movement on July 19.

“We are still under cycle of trauma because we cannot bear tragic farewell of Sajjad . . .his absence has made us lifeless,” said Sahnaj Begum, mother of martyr Sajjad.”

“Police opened fire at him as soon as he joined the agitation programme after performing Asr prayer at a mosque located in the Gol Chattar area of Mirpur-10 in Dhaka city,” grieving Shanaj Begum said while talking to BSS.


Sajjad, son of Jasim Uddin Raja who is a resident of Raghunathpur village in Chandpur city, came to Dhaka to receive training as a motor mechanic at ‘Dhaka Motors’ in the city’s Mirpur area.

Though his family had a dream to see him as a Hafez in Quran, he could not complete his studies due to financial insolvency.

Sajjad’s father Md Jasim Uddin Raja is a mason by profession, while his mother Shahnaz Begum is a homemaker. The couple was blessed with two offspring. Sajjad’s death has put the family in deep shock and sorrow.

Sajjad’s father said, “We had a dream to teach my son in a madrasa. That is why, he was admitted to a local madrasa at an early age. Later, he was enrolled in Hifz Khana of Bakila Phulchhoya Madrasa under Hajiganj upazila, from where he completed the course of becoming a Hafez of the Qur'an. After that he studied up to Mizan class in the same madrasa.”

“However, he could not complete his studies due to the financial crisis…he went to Dhaka to learn motor mechanic work at a company named ‘Dhaka Motors’.

“My son was shot dead by the police. Many families like us have lost their children in the mass uprising. I will seek justice only to Allah for the killing of my son,” he said in an emotion-choked voice.

Zillur Rahman Sifat, Sajjad’s cousin and also a close friend said, “Sajjad and I had been friends since our childhood. We have so many memories together. After the last Eid-ul-Fitr, we went on a trip to Bandarban with friends. We also had a plan to go to Cox's Bazar. But with Sajjad’s death, all our plans fell apart.”

Sifat said that he had his last conversation with Sajjad on July 17.

“We had a WhatsApp group with friends. We used to talk about the movement in that group. He always kept us updated about the situation of the student-led mass uprising in Dhaka,” he recalled.

Sajjad’s mother Shahnaz Begum said, “With the grace of the Almighty, we were living happily. When my husband became ill ... .my elder son started working at a factory to help his father.”

“Our dream was that our son would become a scholar and preach Islam. But it didn’t happen,” she said crying out loudly.

Sajjad’s father Jashim Uddin said, “Chandpur District Superintendent of Police, Upazila Executive Officer, Executive Magistrate of the District Commissioner's office met us on behalf of the administration.”

Besides, the leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami and teachers of some institutions also met them and expressed their condolences, he said.

Officials of district administration provided various types of fruits and financial assistance of Tk 10,000 to the bereaved family, Jasim added.