CHANDPUR, Sept 29, 2024 (BSS) - Samiu Aman Noor, a seventh grade student, joined the one-point programme of anti-discrimination students-people movement at the final stage.
 
Although he called and informed his father about the victory over the phone, he could not get the benefits of the new freedom in the end.
 
With the national flag in hand, Samiu, 13, joined the victory procession on August 5. He was shot dead in the victory march.  
 
Emotion-choked father Md Aman Ullah described how his only son was killed in the movement.
 
Samiu Aman Noor's ancestral home is ‘Lal Doctor Bari’ at Baghmara village in Sahdebpur (west) Union under Kachua Upazila in Chandpur. But he lived in Tongi, Dhaka with his family. He was a class seven student of ‘Gha’ section at Siraj Uddin Sarker Vidyaniketan & College in Tongi.
 
Although Samiu Aman Noor lived in Tongi, when his school was closed for vacation, he used to go to his ancestral home in Chandpur with his family. He used to stay at his uncle's house. His behavior with relatives was very sweet.
 
 
His entire family is still reeling from the shock of his death. Relatives burst into tears while talking about him. Samiu was the only son of Aman Ullah. He was born after two daughters. The family members had many dreams centering him. But the dreams won’t come true.
 
Recently this correspondent talked to Samiu Aman Noor’s parents and relatives at Baghmara village of Kachua Upazila of Chandpur. He was laid to eternal rest next to the house. Since the death of young boy Samiu, people from different walks of life are still visiting his ancestral home to convey sympathy to his parents and relatives.
 
Samiu Noor's aunt Sharifa Begum said, Noor was very tall despite his young age.
 
“Whenever he came from Tongi, he stayed at their house. “Samiu used to hug me just after entering the house. He was a very charming boy. We are deeply saddened and shocked at his death. I lost my words to talk about him. He was the only son of the family. They had many dreams about their son. But that dream was shattered,” she said.
 
Samiu's father Aman Ullah said his son used to go to the movement without informing them. But on August 5, he was in Chandpur. That day at noon, Samiu told him over the phone that Hasina fled the country.
 
“Then I said, Alhamdulillah. In the meantime, my son left for the victory procession. Just during Asr prayer I got a call that my son had been shot. I came to know that my son went to the procession with the national flag in his hand. When he went in front of Uttara house building, he was shot. Other boys who were with him rushed him to Tongi Medical by a van. On-duty doctors gave him first aid there and asked to take him to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital,” Aman Ullah said.
 
He said his wife along with some local people left the hospital with an ambulance to save their son, but they could not go further from Uttara as a huge crowd of people were on the streets with the victory procession.
 
There was no route to take him to Dhaka Medical. Then they went to several hospitals in Uttara area but there was a massive rush of pellet-wounded patients in those hospitals. Some received injuries in eyes, some in head or different parts of the body. Later, Samiu was taken to Uttara Bangladesh Medical.
 
He got a few bags of blood transfusion there. But it was not possible to give him blood anymore. Then he was taken to Uttara Modern Hospital. He was kept at ICU. After sometime the doctors declared him  dead.
 
Samiu Aman Noor's elder sister Afrin Aman said, Noor always used to tell them that he would become very famous after growing up as everyone will know him by his name.
 
“All of us will be known by his name. In fact, his words came true (but in a painful manner). Now everyone knows me as Noor's sister,” she said.
 
Afrin said at the age of 13, he became very tall. “If he wasn't so tall, maybe the bullet wouldn't have hit him in the head,” she said.
 
She said none of his friends or locals can forget his smiling face.
 
“His school friends still cry for him. My brother Noor showed us that the death of a few people can create a deep vacuum,” he said.
 
Samiu's mother Shahnoor Aman was unable to speak at first. She was just crying. Losing her only son, she became sick. She was requested to tell about Samiu’s last words. She said: “He was a little boy. What was his crime? He joined the victory march with the national flag in hand. He was shot dead like a bird”.
 
Shahnoor Aman said Afrin and Afsana are my two elder daughters. “I always prayed to God to have a son. During my prayers, my daughters also raised their hands in prayer with me wishing that they would have a brother. Allah fulfilled our wish. I named him Samiu Aman Noor. My son was enlightened like a Noor (light). Whenever he came home from outside, he used to hug and kiss me. He used to say that you are the best mother in the world,” she said.
 
Since childhood, Noor used to tell his mother that he would be very famous one day. He used to tell his sisters that everyone will know them by his name.
 
He had a dream to go abroad for higher studies. That is why he used to practice English.
Shahnoor said: “My brother lives abroad. Our dream was to send him abroad if he passes HSC. Now it will remain just a dream!”