News Flash
By Md Mamun Islam
RANGPUR, Oct 27, 2025 (BSS) - Since the beginning of July 2024, martyr Hafez Redwan Islam, 24, had participated in the front row of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement every day, just as he loved to stand in the front row of the five daily prayers at the mosque.
When his mother forbade him from going to the movement, Redwan would say, "Ma, we must sacrifice our lives to overthrow the world's most terrible fascist Sheikh Hasina. Sons of many mothers are shedding their blood and sacrificing lives for this. If I die in the protest march, you will be the proud parents of your martyred son."
"There is no alternative to dedicating our lives to overthrowing the demonic witch fascist Hasina," Redwan told his mother on August 5, 2024, as he went to celebrate the victory of Hasina's overthrow.
But, Hafez Redwan never returned.
Redwan tried his best to participate in the movement without his wife's knowledge because she would forbid him from going to the movement for the sake of their only son, Bayezid Bostami, who is 16 months old now.
Mass killing and arrest of students and public by Hasina's loyal law enforcers and Awami League terrorists from the mid-July struck Redwan.
It particularly fortified after the killing of Begum Rokeya University student Abu Sayeed on July 16.
Recently, this correspondent reached out to Redwan's parents, family members and relatives and learnt about his struggling life and the story of his martyrdom.
Redwan was born on July 1, 2001, in Shimultoli, a village in Damodarpur union under Badarganj upazila of Rangpur, to a poor landless family.
He was the third child among his parents' four sons and one daughter.
His father Md Saidul Islam, 50, worked as a daily wage laborer to support his family while living in their village until 2013. His mother, Most Mollika Khatun, 46, is a housewife.
Unable to survive on the meager income, Redwan's father left the village with his family members and moved to Tongi town in Gazipur in 2013 in search of livelihood.
The family now lives in a rented house in ward no 48, Banamala Road, Dattapara, Hasan Lane, Tongi in Gazipur.
Initially, Saidul Islam joined the Tongi depot of Rangpur Foundry Limited (RFL) to load and unload industrial goods. He started living in a rented house with his family members.
Redwan's eldest brother Md Abdur Rahim, 29, is married and runs a small hotel 'Mayer Doa' in Tongi town and lives there with his wife Shamima Khatun, 24, and daughter Raisa Khatun, 4.
His only sister, Sadika Khatun, 26, is married. She works in a garment factory in Tongi town with her husband Mithun Mandal, 28, and lives there with their only son and only daughter.
Redwan's two younger brothers, Md Abu Raihan, 16, and Md Rakibul Islam, 10, are memorizing the Holy Quran at Abu Bakr Siddique (RA) Hafizia Madrasa in Tongi town to become Hafez like Redwan.
Saidul Islam said his son Redwan couldn't receive any formal education due to the family's financial hardship.
"Despite poverty, we enrolled Redwan in Abu Bakr Siddique (RA) Hafizia Madrasa in Tongi to make him a Hafez of the Holy Quran. He successfully memorized the Holy Quran and became a Hafez in 2019," said the father with tearful eyes.
From his childhood, Redwan used to sell hats and 'Atar' (perfume) as a hawker in a van on the streets of Tongi town, in order to cover his education expenses and support his family until his martyrdom.
In 2023, Redwan married Rokaiya Khatun.
Redwan's mother, Mollika Khatun, said, "During the dinner on August 4, 2024, Redwan and his wife Rokaiya ate 'pulao' and chicken that I cooked. I told him not to go to the movement anymore because the situation was worsening every day," he said.
On the morning of August 5, Mollika Khatun cooked Rui fish curry with gourd. Redwan woke up around noon and had his meal.
"Ma, you know I don't like gourds. But the Rui fish and gourd curry you cooked is so delicious that I ate so much rice today, it might last me the whole day," crying Mollika Khatun said, quoting Redwan.
A happy Redwan put on his 'jobba' and his cap and left the house, saying he was going to the mosque to offer Zuhr prayers.
"After offering Zuhr prayers, Redwan went to celebrate the victory of overthrowing Hasina's fascist regime," the mother said.
Abdur Rahim said after offering the Zuhr prayers, Redwan directly went to the victory procession with thousands of students and people.
"At one point, when their procession was passing by the Azampur area under Uttara Purbo police station in Dhaka, the police shot Redwan in front of the police station at around 5:30 pm," he said.
But Abdur Rahim got the news at 7:30 pm when someone called him from the hospital on Redwan's mobile phone.
"I immediately went to the Kuwait-Bangladesh Friendship Hospital in the Uttara area by rickshaw at 8:10 pm and saw my seriously injured brother Redwan lying on the veranda there without any treatment," he said.
By this time, Redwan's father Saidul Islam, mother Mollika Khatun, cousin Biplob with his wife Taslima Begum and other relatives reached the hospital.
The four bullets fired by the police entered Redwan's body, breaking bones and destroying his kidneys and urinary bladder. A bullet lodged in his shoulder. He urgently needed surgeries to stop bleeding and save his life.
"We held the doctors' hands and feet and cried and begged them to save Redwan. But they didn't do so out of fear," Abdur Rahim said.
Failed to access treatment, Redwan was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) at 5:30 am on August 6.
"Despite our best efforts, we did not get any treatment at DMCH and had to wait for Redwan's last breath. Redwan died at DMCH at 9:30 pm on August 6," said Abdur Rahim, crying uncontrollably.
At 1:30 am on August 7, the family members took Redwan's body to Tongi town, bathed him, and left Tongi for Rangpur at 3 am.
"We reached Shimultoli village of Rangpur at 7:30 am on August 7 and the funeral of martyr Hafez Redwan was held at Shimultoli Government Primary School ground at 11 am," said his father Saidul Islam.
Later, around noon, Hafez Redwan was laid to rest at their family graveyard in Shimultoli village.
While Rokaiya was standing by, Redwan said to his mother before going to the victory procession on August 5, "Ma, if I die in the movement, you will look after my wife Rokaiya."
At that time, when Rokaiya prevented Redwan from going to the victory procession, Redwan had to say, "Rokaiya, I have surrendered myself to Almighty Allah. He is more than sufficient for all of you."
Redwan's father Saidul Islam filed a case with the International Crimes Tribunal accusing 48 people in the incident, including Sheikh Hasina.
"Redwan always wished martyrdom. Almighty Allah has fulfilled his wish. I am not at all saddened by his martyrdom. Rather, I am proud to be the father of a martyred son, who is a Hafez of the Holy Quran," the grieving father said.
"I want justice for the murder of my innocent son Hafez Redwan and demand capital punishment of the perpetrators," said Mollika Khatun.
