NARSINGDI, Sept 18, 2024 (BSS) - Teenager Tahmid had a dream to become the best cricketer one day and conquer the world. But he embraced martyrdom in police firing during the anti-discrimination student movement. Tahmid's dream of becoming the best cricketer remained elusive.

 
Tahmid Bhuiyan, 15, son of Rafiqul Islam Bhuiyan of Nandipara village under Chinishpur Union in Narsingdi Sadar Upazila, was a student of class IX of Nasima Kadir Mollah High School and Homes. He was the eldest among three brothers and sisters.

According to eyewitnesses, on July 18, a protest was going on demanding reform to the quota system at Jailkhana intersection in Narsingdi town on Dhaka-Sylhet highway. At one point, Tahmid was caught in the middle of a chase and counter-chase between police and protestors. He received  bullet injury in his chest during police firing. He was taken to a local hospital, on-duty doctors declared him dead. Hearing his death news, agitating students and mass people snatched Tahmid's body and marched on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway in Narsingdi.
 
Tahmid's father Rafiqul Islam Bhuiyan, who was present at the spot told BSS that as the protesters were chanting slogans calling Hasina a ‘dictator’ in front of the main gate of Shahid Mosleh Uddin Bhuiyan Stadium adjacent to the Central Shahid Minar here, police opened fire on Tahmid and his lifeless body lying on the street.
 
Talking to BSS, he said, “My heart was bleeding profusely after seeing the shooting scene at my son's body. I almost burst out screaming and became speechless.”
 
"At that time, the agitators dragged me into a nearby mosque to save me, leaving the dead body on the street,” he said.
 
When the situation became a little bit normal, I returned home with the help of the agitators. “Later, without a postmortem, we buried Tahmid in the local graveyard of the area after two namaz-e- janazas -- one at my son's school and another at Chinishpur Eidgah -- at night on that day," Rafiqul said.

He also said that although the district administration asked him to do the autopsy, he did not agree. "My boy was shot dead in front of everyone, what will happen after the autopsy? I will never get my son back," said Rafiqul.
 
Out of the 16 people who died on the streets of Narsingdi, during the anti-discrimination student movement, fourteen of them were shot dead while two were beaten to death. Tahmid Bhuiyan, a ninth grader, was the first to embrace martyrdom in police firing.
 
Narsingdi's 100-bed district hospital supervisor ANM Mizanur Rahman said, “ Doctors of our hospital declared dead when Students brought rubber bullet-hit Tahmid to the hospital.  . He died due to excessive bleeding as a rubber bullet pierced his chest, he said.
 
Agitating students took his body away from the hospital soon after he was declared dead, he added.
 
"We wanted to send his body to the morgue for post-mortem. However, it was not possible in the face of the student protest," Mizanur Rahman said.
 
Tahmid’s house is 500 yards away from the scene of the incident (Jailkhana Mor), in Nandipara village under Chinishpur union of Narsingdi Sadar upazila. Tahmid's family lives in a tin-shaded semi-pucca house.
 
His father Rafiqul Islam Bhuiyan said that apart from studies, Tahmid was a big fan of cricket.
 
"Tahmid used to enjoy playing cricket beside his studies. He dreamed of getting admission at BKSP, a renowned sports institution of the country. He also dreamed of developing himself into a big cricketer of the country," said Rafiqul.
 
Tahmid’s father regretfully said, "But his dream will not be fulfilled anymore."
 
Tahmid's younger sister Linat Bhuiyan, 13, has become speechless at the death of her brother, he said. She clings to her brother's memory all the time, he said, adding she has also lost her mental balance.
 

Tahmid's father recalled that all the members of the family ate lunch together on the day of the incident. While taking rest afterwards, Tahmid and his younger sister Linat were playing games on mobile phone.
 
Later, Tahmid came out of the room as the charge of the mobile phone was finished, Rafiqul said.

Tahmid's mother was working in the kitchen while Rafiqul was taking a nap in the next room, he said.
 
When Tahmid wanted to go out, his mother stopped him, he said.
 
At one point of the conversation, Tahmid said to his mother, "You don't let me go anywhere, you want to keep me inside the house like a girl ".

These were his last words with his mother. Tahmid left the house while talking to his mother.
 
Local students-people want to keep the memory of Shaheed Tahmid alive. They demanded that Narsingdi Jailkhana intersection should be declared as 'Tahmid Chattar'.