How are you? – Sabita Rani Das burst into tears when asked. She replied, “Kailjar Tukra Puttai (son) is not now. How can Kiram (be) without a son! Beher (everyone) has a Puja. I have no son, no Puja.”
Parents who lost their children, like the mother of 18-year-old college student Tanoy Das, who lost his life in the student uprising, are not celebrating the festival this time. The wives and children of the deceased are also crying in grief over the loss of their loved ones on the festival day.
Those who are heavenly:- Those who lost their lives in the student uprising that overthrew the 15-and-a-half-year rule of Sheikh Hasina. These 9 families will not celebrate this festival. Deepta Dey, the Madaripur coordinator of the anti-discrimination student movement, died after falling into the waters of Shakuni Lake on July 18 after being injured in an attack by the police and Chhatra League.
On the same day, Hridoy Chandra Tarwar, a history student at Chittagong University, was shot in the chest in a clash with Chhatra League students in Bahaddarhat, Chittagong. He died on July 23. Ripon Chandra Sil, who left his two-and-a-half-month-old child at home to protest the genocide, died on August 4 in Habiganj while participating in a movement with students.
Rudra Sen joined the movement in front of the main gate of Sylhet Shahjalal University of Science and Technology on the afternoon of July 18. Rudra, who was injured in a joint police-Chhatra League attack in the Surma area around 3 pm, fell into the water and died while trying to move to a safe place.
On July 20, Tanoy, a class 11 student of Kuliarchar College in Kishoreganj, was shot dead by police in Board Bazar, Gazipur. On the same day, 24-year-old garment worker Shuvo Shil was shot in the stomach by police in Savar after being caught on the street. On the same day, 40-year-old Saikat Chandra Dey, a father of two, was shot dead by police in Shanir Akhra, the capital.
Six-year-old Riya Gop, who was shot in the head on the roof of a four-story house in Nayamati area of Narayanganj Sadar on July 19, lost her battle with death for four days. Rathin Biswas of Kotalipara, Gopalganj, was shot on Manik Miah Avenue on August 5.
It is believed that most of the Hindus are supporters of the Awami League. However, G. C. Pramanik, Secretary General of the Hindu Mahajote, told the authoritative Samakal that it is clear from the number of martyrs that Hindus are no longer the vote bank of the Awami League. Although some Hindu leaders opposed the student-public uprising for their own political interests, ordinary Hindus were in favor. They gave their blood and lives for the fall of Sheikh Hasina. This uprising is also not Hindu; it is against Sheikh Hasina.
Ripon’s dream was to go to the mandap with his son: Ripon Shil became the father of a son last May. He named his son Abir Shil Swadhin. It is said that his son’s first puja is about to take him to the mandap. The plan was to take him from mandap to mandap. The naive child Swadhin doesn’t know that his father will never return. He will never hold his hand and walk around the mandap!
On Saturday morning, when I went to Ripon’s house in the Anantapur area of the city, saw that there were no arrangements for the puja. Although the sound of drums could be heard around, there was a silence like a crematorium at Ripon’s house. Ripon’s mother, sister, wife and relatives were mourning. Sister Champa Shil said that Ripon used to talk about going from one mandap to another with his son. He said, ‘Didi, you don’t need to ask Jamai Babu for money for your puja this time. I will buy everyone new clothes.’
The younger brother Shipon Shil was shot while participating in the protest the previous day. Ripon joined the protest on August 4 in protest. Shipon is still bedridden. Ripon’s mother Ruby Rani Shil said, “One son is gone. Another son is injured. Who should I worship with?”
Ripon used to run the family by working at a salon in Pail Bazar in the suburbs. Habiganj Chhatra Dal gave Ripon’s family 20,000 taka for the puja. Earlier, BNP leaders gave 250,000 taka and Jamaat 100,000 taka as aid. Ripon’s Pisi (Aunt) Usha Rani Shil said, “We want not only aid, but also justice for the murder.”
Our Durga is gone:- On Saturday, the day of Navmi, a puja festival was seen in the Nayamati Hosiery Industrial Area of Narayanganj city. A pavilion was located at the entrance of two alleys. The crowd pushed through the alleys and went to Riya’s house, mourning the cremation! Riya’s grandmother opened the door. She burst into tears when she asked. Riya’s mother Beauty Ghosh came. She said that Riya’s father Deepak Kumar Gop was at work.
When asked if she had not been given leave for the puja, Beauty Ghosh said, “What will happen to us if we take the leave? Who will we wear the new clothes? Our Durga is gone.” Riya’s grandmother said, “I didn’t go to see Thakur this time. I don’t care. Who killed Riya, why did they kill her – I didn’t know anything even for three months.” Riya’s mother Beauty Ghosh said, “The girl was eating for me. I forced her to eat some chicken meat. She was very lively and intelligent. She went to the roof and within two minutes her father came back with her lifeless body in his arms. If the bullet had not hit her head, it would have hit her hands and feet, she might have survived.
Riya was the only child of the Beauty-Deepak couple. She was studying in class one. She stood first in the exam. Beauty said, ‘I didn’t even cook for the puja this time. I can’t eat one meal and eat the next. What will happen if I cook? I can’t cook.’ She said that no one from the government came. Leaders of various organizations including BNP-Jamaat came. No one provided financial assistance. If she could have been treated, maybe she could have become a mother again.
No case was filed in Riya’s murder. Rafiur Rabbi, convener of the Terrorism Eradication Twaki Mancha, alleged that Shamim Osman and his men were practicing weapons in the city on the day of the incident. Riya died from gunshots fired at that time.
The mother of son in tears: Harikant Das of Bhatinagar village in Ashtagram upazila of Kishoreganj is a fisherman by profession. He lives in poverty by fishing in the haor. He sent his only son to his uncle’s house in Kuliarchar for his education.
Sabita Rani said that at the beginning of the student movement, Tanoy went to the Board Bazaar area of Tongi to learn tailoring. On the phone of friends, he went out for a walk on the 4th of Shrawan (July 19). At that time, he was shot in the neck. She said, expressing her anger, “We Hindus voted for Hasina all our lives. And Hasina killed ‘put Maira lailo’ on my son!”
Lamenting, Sabita Rani said, ‘I don’t have a son, what kind of worship would I do! When I had a son, how happy we were. My son would buy me new shirts.’ The son’s mother said that she had stayed at home after her son’s death. She didn’t even go to the puja this time. She spent her time at home praying for her son, her eyes filled with tears. Where will the orphaned Dhruv and his mother go?
Saikat Chandra, an employee of a private company, had a happy family with his son Dhruv, daughter Matrika and wife Swapna Rani in Dishgali of Shani Akhara. He had left his house on the evening of July 20 to see what was happening outside. He was shot dead in Matuail.
Swapna said that BNP and Jamaat leaders came and gave her 2 lakh taka. She won’t be able to live on this money. Her son Dhruv is studying in class six; her daughter Matrika is studying in class four. Her brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law are not taking responsibility. That’s why she has left her house in Dhaka. She will go to her father’s house in Rangpur next month.
Swapna stayed home on Navami, when other Hindu women were celebrating. Swapna said, “Now I don’t go anywhere. My children don’t go either. They don’t have father, who will take them to the puja! We don’t have the joy of puja anymore.”
The Puja lamp did not light up in the Deepta family’s house: – Swapan Kumar Dey and Monica Dey celebrated Puja last time with their two sons Deepta and Hemanta. This time their tears do not stop. Swapan Kumar Dey of Bhola is a former officer of the Madaripur office of the Department of Agricultural Extension. Deepta grew up in Madaripur due to his father’s job. The 22-year-old was a second-year graduate student of the Department of Zoology at Madaripur Government College. He was the coordinator of the college branch of the movement.
Swapan-Monika couple said that there are no arrangements for this year’s puja. Monika said, if the boy was alive, there would have been happiness. How will we celebrate the puja without a son?
Heart of a family torn apart for Hridoy:- Ratan Chandra Taroa of Patuakhali city is a carpenter by profession. His monthly income is 10-12 thousand taka. Hridoy Chandra of Chittagong University has written about the financial inconsistency of the family in his diary. His mother works at home despite being a heart patient. Hridoy’s parents were counting the days hoping that Hridoy would get a job to ease his sorrow. But the bullet that pierced his lung has torn apart the hearts of Hridoy’s family.
Ratan Taroa said on the phone, “What kind of worship is there without a son, father! Everyone says, ‘My son is a martyr;’ they pay respect. My heart doesn’t agree. Everything is over for me. How can a mother live without a son?”
Even the police did not care, they shot him: Sadhana Sheel had only one son – Shuvo Sheel. Quiet, humble. Sadhana lamented, saying, “My son is not in anything.” The police grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, dragged him, and shot him in the stomach!
Shuvo Shil, son of Bikash Shil of Jhenaidah Sadar, used to work at KAC Fashion Limited in Chakraborty area of Ashulia. He started working during the Corona period in 2020 after passing SSC.
Vikas Shil said, “I went to the hospital on the night of July 20 and saw that the boy had been shot. He asked for some water. The doctor did not let him drink water because he was going to have an operation. He took him for the operation; but he never returned. He could not even drink water.”
Shuvo’s elder brother, Sohag Shil, said that while he was shot, Shuvo said on the phone that the police had shot him with a gun in his stomach. Even after pleading, he did not let go. Shuvo said on the phone, “Grandpa, I am finished.” (Information provided in the report by Habiganj and Narayanganj correspondents). News source-daily samakal.
