Martyr Mehedi becomes symbol of courage, determination

BSS :

Mehedi Hasan, an 18-year-old car workshop employee, became a tragic symbol of courage and determination, as he embraced martyrdom on July 19 in the Kajla area of Jatrabari in the capital during the anti-discrimination student movement.

Despite his family’s pleas to stay home amid escalating violence on the streets, Mehedi’s unwavering resolve to stand with his “student brothers” against injustice eventually led to his untimely death.

Mehedi embraced martyrdom when members of the law enforcement agencies launched a massive crackdown on the anti-discrimination student movement that eventually turned into a student-people uprising from July 17, with the participation of people from all strata.

“My son joined the movement on July 17 and 18, but I forced him to come home on the night of July 18. As many people were being killed at that time we barred him from joining the movement,” Mehedi’s grief stricken mother Perveen Akter said.

She recalled Mehedi slept throughout the day on July 19, however, he woke up during the time of Azan for Asr prayers.

“After getting up from sleep, he asked me why I didn’t wake him up to join the movement. I told him that the situation was very bad in the street, therefore I didn’t call him,” Perveen recalled.

However, Mehedi’s resolve was unwavering. “When my student brothers are being killed on the streets, you are asking me to stay home. I am 18-year-old. Am I a minor still? Please, let me join the movement with them,” he replied to his mother.

At one stage, Mehedi’s father, Meher Ali locked the door of their rented house at Kutubkhali in the city’s Jatrabari area, but finally couldn’t stop him from joining the street protest.

“I must join the movement . . . if needed I will embrace martyrdom for the country,” Mehedi told his parents when they were creating obstacles on his way.

“We even kept him confined in the house, so that he couldn’t join the movement as there was indiscriminate firing on the street. But we couldn’t stop him,” said grieving Meher Ali, adding that he also warned him of sustaining bullet injuries.

Meher Ali recalled that before leaving the house, he had a shower and he stared at his mother in an unusual manner for a long time.

Later, he had a meal and wanted Taka 10 from his mother. But his mother could not give the money as she didn’t have any money at the time.

Perveen recalled, finally, Mehedi left the house after the Asr Azan.

Just 10 to 15 minutes prior to the Magrib Azan, some children came to their house and informed that Mehedi sustained bullet injuries and was taken to a hospital in Shonir Akhra.

Sharing their frantic search to find Mehedi, she said they didn’t find Mehedi at the hospital in Shonir Akhra and searched for him at every hospital in Jatrabari area.

Later, they came to know that Mehedi was taken to the Dhaka Medical College (DMCH).
“But by the time we reached Dhaka Medical, my son was taken to the morgue. Hearing the news I was bewildered. I felt like the sky collapsed on my head,” Perveen said tearfully.