By Selina Sheuly 

DHAKA, June 02, 2025 (BSS) - Sarwar Hossain Shaon, 18, embraced martyrdom on July 19, 2024, during a violent police crackdown on a massive crowd during the anti-discrimination student movement in the capital. 

"My son was shot just moments ago... he didn't even get ten minutes to live," cried Md Zakir Hossain, father of Shaheed Shaon. "I never hurt my beloved boy. And yet, he died in agony, suffering till his last breath."

Shaon was born on June 3, 2006, in Panbaria village of Ulania Union under Mehendiganj upazila of Barisal district.

His father, Zakir Hossain, 40, works as a floating daily wage laborer in the capital, while his mother, Most Selina Begum, 30, is a homemaker. 

Shaon was the eldest of three siblings-one sister, who is currently in the tenth grade and a younger brother studying at a madrasa. His father resides in Shanir Akhra in the capital while his mother and siblings remain in their village home.

With trembling voice and tear-filled eyes, the grieving father recounted the final moments of his son.

In a tearful voice, Zakir Hossain told BSS, "I've worked endlessly, under the blazing sun and in pouring rain. I never intended any harm to my son. I only wanted him to learn the value of hard work-working in a fan-cooled restaurant, building a better future. But his earnings were never meant for me-he was shot."

He continued, "When I arrived at the hospital and saw its condition, my heart was broken. I watched as people pulled down the shutters of the hospital gate, went inside, and shut them again after coming out. They wouldn't let me in."

"Eventually, they let me in when I mentioned Shaon's name. I recognized my son's face immediately. No one was beside him-he was lying alone on the floor. I obtained video footage from Better Life Hospital. My son didn't survive more than 10 minutes," Zakir said.

Zakir Hossain recounted, "They told me to take Shaon to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) for an autopsy. I left the hospital and consulted with my relatives. They said it wasn't necessary."

"I didn't go through with the postmortem," he continued. "By the time I got to Sadar Ghat, it was already closed. I pleaded with several launch operators heading toward Hijla until one agreed to take us. I carried Shaon's body, crossed the river, and returned to our village. After the funeral, I laid him to rest in the grave."

On July 19, tensions escalated in the Rampura and Banasree areas as police and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel used tear gas and opened fire on students and members of the public who were protesting.

The demonstration quickly turned into a violent confrontation, with the area resembling a battlefield. A number of protesters lost their lives, and many others sustained injuries. Public outrage intensified and some individuals responded by confronting the police and BGB forces.

In response, law enforcement-alongside individuals alleged to be affiliated with the ruling party, the Awami League, and its allied organizations-entered nearby alleys and side streets. Police fired indiscriminately, resulting in the deaths of innocent civilians.

On Friday, July 19, 2024, two staff members of Prince Restaurant, Shaon and Aziz, were shot after leaving the mosque following Jumma prayers.

The shooting occurred in front of Ekramunnesa School and College, behind the Haider Ali Prince Restaurant, opposite the Bangladesh Television (BTV) building in Rampura.

Aziz was shot in the chest but survived, while Shaon was shot in the stomach and died shortly afterward.

Jakir Hossain, a colleague of Shaon's at the restaurant and an eyewitness, recalled, "After Friday prayers, I left the mosque with Shaon. At that moment, the incident happened. A few of us were standing by the roadside when gunfire broke out on the street."

Since the restaurant was closed, Aziz was going to the main road to get a haircut after prayers. And Shaon had gone out to buy some food. 
 
As the two of them were moving near the gate of Rampura Ekramunnesa School and College, the police shot at them from close range. 
 
He said, "I was a little behind at that time. I was completely confused. Then, I called the restaurant owner on his mobile. As per the owner's advice, I decided to take both of them to Better Life Hospital alone." 

He said, "I told my boss that I was alone and urged him to send someone else. At that time, without finding anything, I put the two of them in a van cart. It took time to push the van towards the back. Then I got an auto rickshaw and took them to the hospital."
 
At that time, Aziz was crying. Shaon was not saying anything either. 
 
Jakir said, "Being directed by the boss, manager of the restaurant and a waiter went out to go to Shaon. But they were stopped. Awami League terrorists blocked their way on the road. Both of them were chased and tortured. They could not reach the hospital. They returned."

 
Later, risking his life, a chef from the restaurant rushed to Shaon in the hospital.
 
Eyewitness Jakir also said, after taking them to the hospital, the doctors with staff took them inside on wheelchairs. They bandaged Aziz's chest and advised to take him to DMCH. The restaurant boss arrived at the hospital within five minutes.
 
"Along with the boss, I took Aziz to the emergency department of DMCH. It was around 4:00 pm or 5:00 pm. The doctors were treating Aziz. After a while, I heard that Shaon had died," said Jakir.

Restaurant owner Mohammad Masud told BSS, "Shaon worked as a glass boy in my establishment for six months. He lived in the staff room with others on the second floor behind the restaurant." 
 
On the day the incident happened, Rampura and the adjacent area had become a battlefield. All the shops in the area were closed due to the chase and counter-chase by the student-public and the police during the protest. 

Masud said, "I came out after finishing the Jumma prayers from the mosque. But I could not go near the shop. The police were firing tear gas at that time. Those who were in the mosque, including me, ran back into the mosque and took shelter."

"Then I was lying in the mosque. After about an hour, when the situation normalized, I came out through the back road of the mosque. There was no way to go out through the front road," he said.

He said, since the restaurant was closed, instead of going that way, he headed towards Hatirjheel to reach his home, Jatrabari. 

"I kept looking for a bike. Since there was trouble in the area, the bike driver agreed to take me to Jatrabari for Taka 700. But I kept going hoping to get a bike for a little less," he said.

He said, "At that time, around 3 pm, the restaurant's staff called Jakir and said that two of our workers had been shot in the alley of the restaurant. As soon as I heard this, I ordered them to be taken to the local Better Life Hospital."

Masud said, in the meantime, he called Shaon's father Md Zakir Hossain and told him to come quickly. He heard Jakir was taking the two to Better Life Hospital. By then, he reached there. 

"Shaon was shot in the stomach. But we didn't see his bleeding so much, so it seemed like he had less problems. Aziz was shot in the chest. The doctor said this boy wouldn't survive. The bullet entered Aziz's left arm and exited through his chest," he added.
 
Since there was no bullet inside Aziz's body, he survived. 
"On the doctor's advice, we went outside and saw a Red Crescent ambulance, picked him up and took him to DMCH. Then I learned from Jakir that the doctors had treated Shaon and put him in a chair," Masud added.

Shaon's father Md Zakir Hossain said, "I was talking to him the day before he died. I said, my son, I want to go home, and what do you say? Shaon said, if you go home, I don't have to say anything. Then he was at Rampura, I was at Shanir Akhra." 
 
He said, "I was hanging out with friends on Friday because I didn't have work. At that time, his mother called. She said Shaon's mobile was switched off, give him a call. I called Shaon's mobile phone and found his phone was switched off."

Then he called the restaurant owner and found out that he had been shot. 
 
Zakir Hossain said, "I came to Rampura with great difficulty. I didn't care about my life. I couldn't understand what was happening on July 19. Many people were blocking me. I couldn't enter Rampura. My friend and I walked a lot and arrived in front of Better Life Hospital." 
 
He said, "Shaon studied in the village school up to class nine. At that time, schools and colleges were closed during the Covid-19 pandemic. So I thought that he might mix with bad boys, get drunk. So I sent him to Dhaka with his cousin."
 
Shaon had been working in two restaurants in Rampura for three and a half years. He used to get a salary of 8,000 Taka per month at his last job.

Zakir Hossain said, "I thought giving him a job would help him, even if just a little. That's why I hired him at the restaurant. I've faced many hardships and struggled a lot in life-I never found much comfort."