News Flash
NAOGAON, May 17, 2025 (BSS) – Grief-stricken father of Russell, who embraced martyrdom during the 2024 July Uprising, is now going through mental agonies since he could not accept his son’s early demise.
Eighteen-year-old garment worker, Russell, was shot in his chest on July 19 near Gate 2 of Deobhog Market on DIT Road in Narayanganj during the anti-discrimination student movement. He succumbed to his injuries on July 22 while undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital in the capital.
Russell, son of Pintu Rahman of Bholagari village in Koshob Union of Manda upazila in the district, had been working at a garment factory in Narayanganj to support his ailing mother’s treatment.
While visiting his village home, this correspondent found that Russell’s family lives on other’s land erecting a small tin-roofed hut with bamboo fencing.
His father, Pintu Rahman runs the family by working as a day laborer. Russell was the youngest among their four siblings. One of his sisters is mentally challenged.
Russell’s father was found to be still suffering from mental trauma. “Why did they shoot my son in the chest? Allah, give me back my son!” Russell‘s grieving father, Pintu, was repeatedly murmuring while talking to BSS.
Recalling the last memories with Russell, his mourning mother, Anjana, said she talked to her son for the last time around 5pm on July 19. During the conversation, he inquired about his mother and sisters.
Anjana recalled around 8.30pm on that day, she got a call from her son’s phone where a stranger informed her that Russell had been shot in the chest.
“Hearing the news, I wanted to go to Dhaka. Meanwhile, we came to know that curfew had been imposed. Therefore, I could not go to Dhaka as no transport was available,” she tearfully said.
Noting that people of their village used to call her ‘Russell’s mother’, Anjana said in sobbing tone, “Now, my son has left me alone . . . I have nothing”.
Russell’s father, Pintu, claimed that his son was not involved in the movement.
“My son didn’t join the movement. Yet he was shot in the chest. He suffered for four days in the hospital. But I couldn’t even stay by his side during his death. My son died in agony,” Pintu said tearfully.
He said Russell breathed his last on July 22. They brought Russell’s body to the village home here on the next day (July 23) and buried him at their village graveyard on the same day.
He said he couldn’t afford to send his children to school due to poverty. Therefore, Russell joined work at an early age to support his family. Russell had emerged as the only hope for the family.
Russell sent money home for his mother's treatment. Neighbors noted that due to poverty, Pintu couldn’t educate his children.
Russell’s family became bewildered by losing their only earning son. “How would we survive now?” said his mourning father.
Russell’s paternal uncle, Abdur Rashid, said due to poverty, Russell had to quit school after studying up to class two or three.
For the past 18 months, he worked at a garment factory in the Akhera area of Narayanganj until his death with a monthly wage of Taka 7,000–8,000.
Just after returning to Narayanganj after enjoying Eid vacation, he returned home as a corpse, Rashid said.
After Russell’s death, his mother had stopped eating, he said, adding, thus she became sick.
Though Russell’s mother’s condition has improved a bit, she often breaks down in tears remembering her son.
Former member of Koshob Union Parishad (UP) Panjab Ali said Pintu is extremely poor. Among his three daughters, one is mentally-challenged, Ali said, adding, another daughter of Pintu returned home after getting divorced with her husband.
Russell has emerged as a godsend to his family, he said, adding, but his death left his family distraught.
Ali urged both the government and affluent people to come forward to help the family of martyr Russell.
Naogaon Deputy Commissioner (DC) Mohammad Abdul Awal said the government has already given Taka 2 lakh to Russell’s family. He said the government will remain beside the martyr's family in future.
