TANGAIL, Sept 19, 2024 (BSS) – The body of Hridoy Mia, a college student, brutally killed by members of law enforcement agency on August 5 during a joyous procession following the downfall of the autocratic ruler Sheikh Hasina, still remains missing.
 
Hridoy’s mother residing in Gopalpur upazila of the district has become bewildered as she could not find out the body of her son, even after one and a half months into the fall of Hasina govt.
 
According to eyewitnesses, 20-year-old Hridoy Miah joined the victory procession in Konabari area of Gazipur district along with several hundred common people on the day following the collapse of fascist Awami League government in the face of the student-people uprising.
 
Police opened fire and hurled tear shells to disperse people in various places. A similar video of that day that went viral on social media showed about 10 to 12 policemen surrounded a young man and shot in his chest from the front side. The video also showed that some policemen were taking the body of the youth, but it was not confirmed where they kept his body.
 
Watching the video and observing the clothes of the youth, Hridoy’s family members claimed that the young man was Hridoy Miah. Since then, the family members have been searching for his body but still they do not have any clue where the body has been taken.
 
Hridoy, son of van-puller Lal Miah and housewife Rehana Begum of Alamnagar Union of Gopalpur upazila of the district, was a first year (bachelor) student of Hemnagar Degree College in Gopalpur. He has two sisters, who got married off few years back.
 
As his van-puller father Lal Miah was ill and unable to work, apart from studies, Hridoy went to Konabari in Gazipur around four month ago to help the family by pulling a rickshaw.
 
Rabin Miah, an eyewitness said, “We joined the victory procession in front of metro Thana in Konabari area. Hridoy was just on the opposite side of me. When police opened fire many people received bullet injuries”.
 
Hridoy hid himself beside a building, but police caught, took him to the street and shot him to death, Rabin said, adding, “Though we witnessed the incident but could not save Hridoy as police were firing bullets indiscriminately at that time”.
 
He said they had a plan to recover the body once the situation came under control, but they didn’t find Hridoy’s body as police quickly removed his body from the spot.
 
“We found Hridoy’s Lungi mixed with blood from the spot, where he was shot dead,” said Rabin.
 
Another eyewitness of the incident, former member of Alamnagar Union Parishad Abdul Hamid said Hridoy and his brother-in-law (sister’s husband) Ibrahim Hossain were in front of his shop in the Konabari area before the victory procession started.
 
“I advised Hridoy not to join the procession, but he joined . . . All people including his brother-in-law witnessed the killing. I demand trial of those who killed Hridoy and urge to take steps to give back his body to the family members,” he added.
 
Hridoy’s brother-in-law Ibrahim Hossain said, “Hridoy and I had been living in the same house. During the procession, we were in separate positions. I was witnessing that police was taking a dead body.  The dead body looks like Hroday. But we could not find out body of Hriday fearing of aggressive action of police.  

He also claimed that the policemen first hid the body under a bench, later they might have removed the body somewhere else.

“After the incident we found Hridoy’s mobile phone switched off. However, his Lungi was recovered from the spot that confirmed that the youth shot dead here was Hridoy. We searched for his body at different police stations but didn’t find it. Police made Hridoy’s body disappear. We want justice for the incident,” said Ibrahim.
 
Hridoy’s sister Jeasmine Akter said, “My brother had a dream of joining a good job after completing the study to make my parents proud and happy. But police have ruined that dream. We want trial of those who killed my brother. We want to see my brother’s name in the list of martyrs who sacrificed their lives to liberate the country once again”.
 
While visiting the home of Hridoy, his mother Rehena Begum was seen crying holding Hridoy’s belongings.
 
According to relatives, Rehena Begum could not stop crying since her son remained missing from August 5. She has been repeatedly losing her senses since that day. Hridoy’s parents became bewildered after failing to find the body of their beloved son.
 
“My son went to Konabari to keep us well along with continuing his study. We gave him Taka 10,000 by taking a loan to learn rickshaw driving. But the police killed my son, now who will pay the loan,” said Rehena Begum in an emotion-choked voice.
 
“Please give back my son’s body, I want to have a glimpse of him. I want capital punishment for those who killed my son,” she added.
 
Hridoy’s father Lal Miah said Hridoy was supposed to go home with his brother-in-law, but the bullet didn’t let him go home.
 
“Now we want to get back the body of our beloved son. Please, give us back his body,” he said with a heavy voice.