RAJSHAHI, April 13, 2025 (BSS) – Ali Rayhan (28) was at the forefront of the anti-discrimination student movement from the beginning of the campaign demanding quota reform in government jobs.

When the peaceful student demonstration turned into a violent one following the joint crackdown of law enforcement agency members and then ruling party supporters on the student protesters, Rayhan often told his fellow activists that if anyone were to be martyred in the movement, he wished it to be him.

Tragically, his wish came true as he succumbed to a bullet injury on August 8 while undergoing treatment at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH).

Rayhan, who was organizing secretary of Rajshahi city unit of Islami Chhatra Shibir until his death, was shot by activists of Chhatra League and Jubo League at noon on August 5 when he joined the anti-discrimination student movement in the city.

Recalling the tragic incident, Rayhan’s fellow Nazir Ahmed Supta, legal and training affairs secretary of Rajshahi city Islami Chhatra Shibir, told BSS that on the night before Rayhan was shot, he spent his final hours with three fellow activists.

After performing Fajr prayers on August 5, he said, Rayhan made a heartfelt prayer to Almighty Allah seeking the death of a martyr.

“The country’s situation is uncertain. Anything can happen. Please forgive me, all of you,” Supta quoted Rayhan as he told them after Fajr prayers.

That morning, he said, Rayhan left the house in the morning without having breakfast to join the movement.

“We were marching towards Alupatti in the city with a procession. Ali Rayhan bhai was a little ahead of me.

 When the procession reached near Alupatti intersection, terrorists from Chhatra League, Jubo League and Awami League started indiscriminate firing at us. We were unarmed,” Supta said.

He added: “At that time the police force of the then fascist government was very enthusiastic in attacking on us”.

Around 1:15 pm, Supta said, when the procession was moving forward, “bullets fired by Chhatra League-Juba League terrorists” hit Rayhan’s forehead.

He immediately fell onto the ground, Supta said, adding, at that time, another fellow of them was also shot in the hand and several others were injured.

Rayhan was immediately taken to the RMCH, but the hospital authority referred him to Dhaka for proper treatment, saying his condition was critical.

But, Supta said, they could not go to Dhaka due to turmoil situation when they were bound to take Rayhan at Nawdapara Islami Hospital in the city.

Meanwhile, he said, the doctors of RMCH decided to take Rayhan under surgery.

 Therefore, they took Rayhan to RMCH again where went under “a successful surgery”.

“It seemed like he was recovering. But at 7pm on August 8, Rayhan bhai breathed his last at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of RMCH,” Supta said.

He recalled that Rayhan was a very talented student as well as a humble and polite person.

His death casts a shadow of grief over his organization- Islami Chhatra Shibir- and his family and neighbors, Supta said.

Rayhan was laid to his eternal rest in his village graveyard at Mangalpara in Puthia on August 9 following his Namaj-e-janaza at Rajshahi College grounds. Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman and local Jamaat and BNP leaders and thousands of people joined the Namaj-e-janaza.

Shaheed Raihan was the elder son of Md Muslem Uddin and Mst Roksana Bibi of Mangalpara village in Puthia upazila of the district among their two sons.

Rayhan’s younger brother Md Rana Islam, who ran a small business, is currently trying to get admission into a private university.

After passing SSC and HSC from the village school and college, Rayhan got admission in the Accounting Department at Rajshahi College, from where he completed his master’s degree in 2023.

He had a dream of getting a good job and alleviating the suffering of his poor parents. But that dream did not come true. At the death of Rayhan, the dream of his poor parents turned into a nightmare.

Nazir Ahmed Supta said a case has been filed at the city's Boalia Model Police Station over Rayhan murder.

Among the notable accused in that case, “a Jubo League terrorist and another Awami League leader” were arrested. No one else has been arrested.

“We urge the administration to arrest all the accused within a short time. We demand exemplary punishment for those responsible for killing Rayhan,” said Supta.

Rayhan's brother Rana said, “My brother was a very good person. I demand capital punishment for those who killed my brother so that no one else has to die like this”.

Noting that his brother had a dream of going abroad, he said, but the perpetrators didn’t allow him to fulfill his dream.

Since Rayhan used to visit his parents in the village during every Eid, there was no joy in his family during this Eid-ul-Fitr.

Endless grief engulfed his parents on the Eid day since they could not accept the absence of Rayhan. Rayhan's parents still hope their son will return home.

Rayhan's mother was not in a position to talk to this correspondent as she was observed traumatized till now.

Talking to BSS, his father Md Muslem Uddin said, “We cannot explain our pain to anyone. We will never get our son back. Thus, we demand the immediate arrest and execution by hanging of those who killed our child”.