Staff Reporter :
Eighteen days after his death in the UAE, expatriate July activist Abdul Hamid was laid to rest with state honours at his family grave in Noapara Union of Rauzan, Chattogram, on Friday.
His body arrived at Shah Amanat International Airport in the morning on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight from Abu Dhabi. Relatives broke down in tears as they received his remains, which were formally handed over to the family in the presence of a magistrate and government officials.
Last year, hundreds of Bangladeshi migrant workers in the UAE joined the anti-fascist July movement, expressing solidarity with pro-democracy protests at home. UAE police later arrested 57 Bangladeshis for their participation. They were later released through diplomatic efforts led by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus.
After his release, Abdul Hamid briefly returned to Bangladesh before going back to Dubai for work. However, immigration authorities re-arrested him upon arrival on earlier charges. He died in custody on September 22, and his body was repatriated after 18 days.
Upon arrival in Chattogram, the body was received with state protocol and taken to his native village in Rauzan, where the funeral prayer was held at the family mosque following Friday prayers. He was buried with full state honours.
The funeral was attended by Rauzan Upazila Nirbahi Officer Zisan Bin Majed, Assistant Commissioner (Land) Anching Marma, Officer-in-Charge Monirul Islam Bhuiya, Noapara High School headmaster Habib Master, leaders of the July Revolutionary Alliance, returning expatriate activists, local dignitaries, and villagers.
UNO Zisan Bin Majed said the government had approved an initial grant of Tk 35,000 for the family and would provide an additional Tk 3 lakh, as confirmed by the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment.
The Rauzan upazila administration pledged continued support, while the ministry assured further financial assistance to Hamid’s bereaved family.
