Monir, 28, was shot dead during the protests on July 19, a date that marked the beginning of a relentless wave of suffering for his family. While his death was a shocking tragedy in itself, the family faced unimaginable hardship in the days following, as they struggled to retrieve Monir’s body from Dhaka Medical College Hospital. For four agonizing days, they encountered resistance and non-cooperation from the authorities, leaving Monir's nearly decomposed body trapped in the morgue.
Despite their efforts, the family was barred from burying Monir at multiple graveyards in Dhaka. Eventually, they were forced to transport his body to their village in Jhalakathi, after paying a bribe to local police officers who had threatened to seize the body.
As if these ordeals weren’t enough, the grief-stricken father, Shahjahan Farazi, died on September 13, just weeks after Monir’s death. Six days later, Monir’s mother, Minara Begum, also passed away—ironically, at the same hospital where her son’s body had been detained.
The youngest son, 24-year-old Moinul Hossain, is now receiving treatment at a health center for the trauma he endured.
**A Family Left with Unbearable Loss**
The only remaining member of the immediate family is 21-year-old Sanjida Akter Mim, a second-year student at Uttara Management College. She is left to shoulder the enormous burden of the family's sorrow and to care for her severely affected brother, Moinul.
"Our family is ruined," Mim said, her voice heavy with grief. "We lost my brother, then my parents died from the shock, and now my younger brother is in a care center. I’m left to deal with this devastation alone."
Monir had been the sole breadwinner of the family, working multiple jobs to support them. After abandoning his studies at BAF Shaheen College to help his family, he worked tirelessly for over a decade, even taking on manual labor jobs such as masonry. "My brother did whatever he could to make sure we didn’t go hungry," Mim explained. "He had dreams—he wanted to open a computer shop—but now all those dreams are gone, and we are drowning in debt."
Mim has borrowed Tk 4 lakh to cover the medical expenses for her parents and brother, and she continues to struggle to make ends meet. "Moinul’s treatment costs Tk 10,000 per month, and our house rent is Tk 15,000," she said. "I had to move to a cheaper place. We’ve received no help from the government."
**The Day of the Protest**
On the afternoon of July 19, Monir was shot in the stomach while participating in the protests demanding quota reforms. He collapsed on the road, bleeding, as his friends rushed him to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Mim, who lived in Bhatara, recalled the chaos of that day.
"When my brother’s friends called to tell me he was shot, I ran out of the house. I could hear gunshots and see fires on the streets, but all I could think about was my brother," Mim said.
She faced significant challenges trying to get to the hospital due to the curfew and the volatile situation. "By the time I reached Dhaka Medical the next morning, my brother had already passed away. The doctors declared him dead at 5:15 AM on July 20."
**Struggle to Retrieve Monir’s Body**
Mim’s ordeal did not end with the news of her brother’s death. She spent three agonizing days trying to retrieve Monir’s body, visiting multiple police stations—Gulshan, Bhatara, and Shahbagh—only to be repeatedly refused. The police cited Monir’s involvement in the protests as the reason for withholding the body.
"I stood outside Gulshan Police Station for hours, but the officer wouldn't even acknowledge me. I waited outside Bhatara Police Station from 9 PM to 1 AM, but no one spoke to me," Mim said, tears welling in her eyes.
Eventually, a police inspector from their village helped the family navigate the bureaucratic maze, and Monir’s body was released for burial on July 24. But Mim’s struggles continued as she had to sift through numerous bodies in the morgue before locating her brother's nearly decomposed remains.
**Difficulties in Burial**
The family’s troubles did not end with the release of Monir's body. Four graveyards in Dhaka refused to allow the burial, citing orders not to bury the bodies of protesters. Even local Awami League leaders in Bhatara threatened to block Monir’s burial.
Faced with no other options, Mim and her family decided to transport the body to their village in Jhalakathi. "Even there, the police tried to stop us," Mim said. "We had to pay a bribe of Tk 4,000 just to be allowed to bury him."
**A Call for Justice**
Mim has vowed to seek justice for her brother’s death and the suffering her family has endured. "I don’t know who shot my brother, but I want them held accountable," she said. "I will file a case soon."
Authorities, however, have yet to take concrete action. Talebur Rahman, Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s media wing, stated, "If a family member files a case, necessary actions will be taken against the accused."
Asked about the alleged bribe to allow Monir's burial, Ataur Rahman, Officer-in-Charge of Rajapur Police Station in Jhalakathi, said, "We’ll investigate the incident if we receive a written complaint."
Meanwhile, Hafizul Islam, caretaker of Azimpur graveyard, claimed no directives were given to prevent Monir's burial, and that the family was permitted to bury him without interference.
Despite these assurances, Mim remains resolute. "We want justice—for my brother, for my parents, and for everything we’ve been through. No one should ever have to suffer like we did."
