Admin asked to bury son at night: Abu Sayed’s father tells ICT
NN ONLINE:
Makbul Hossain, octogenarian father of July Uprising martyr Abu Sayed, said the family received the body of his son at 3.30 am and officials from the administration had asked them to bury him within the night.
“Around 3:30am, Abu Sayed’s body arrived home. The administration told me to bury the body within that night. I replied that burial was not possible at night. The next morning, after two rounds of namaz-e-janaza, we buried Abu Sayed at the family graveyard,” he told the tribunal.
The bereaved father, 85, today testified at the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-2 in the crimes against humanity case filed over the killing of his brave son.
While preparing the body for burial, Makbul said, he noticed blood oozing from the back of his son’s head and that his chest had been riddled with bullets. Later he heard that (ASI) Amir and (constable) Sujan Chandra had shot his son dead.
Makbul Hossain also said that a few days before the incident, Chhatra League leader Pomel Barua had grabbed Abu Sayed by the throat and slapped him.
“My son was a meritorious student. He secured a scholarship in the talent pool and achieved Golden A+ in SSC. He was a student of the English department at Begum Rokeya University. He used to bear his own expenses by doing private tuition,” he said.
Makbul said on July 16, 2024, after returning home from work in the field, he found everyone crying.
“I first heard that Abu Sayed had been shot and later he was informed that Abu Sayed had died. Hearing the news, it felt as if the sky had fallen on my head,” Makbul said while bursting into tears.
Seeking justice over the brutal killing of his son, Makbul Hossain told the tribunal that those who viciously killed Abu Sayed must face stern punishment.
“In the past, I used to tell people that I wished to live long enough to see my son join a job. Now I only wish to live long enough to see justice for my son’s killing,” he said in his deposition.
Six of the 30 accused, who have so far been arrested, were produced before the court today. They are former BRU proctor Shariful Islam, former assistant registrar Rafiul Hasan Russel, former staffer Md Anwar Pervej, former assistant sub-inspector of police Amir Hossain, former constable Sujan Chandra Roy and former general secretary of the then-banned Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) BRU unit, Imran Chowdhury Akash.
Earlier, the second tribunal on August 6 framed charges against all 30 accused. Today was fixed for placing the opening statement. Advocate Azizur Rahman Dulu represented Sujan Chandra Roy, Advocate Aminul Gani Titu appeared for Shariful Islam and Advocate Salauddin Regan stood for Imran Chowdhury Akash.
The tribunal formally showed the four accused arrested in the case on April 9. Earlier, the investigation into the case began after the tribunal on June 15 gave the prosecution a one-month deadline to submit its report.
Four of the arrestees Amir Hossain, Sujan Chandra Roy, Shariful Islam and Imran Chowdhury Akash were interrogated by investigators between June 18-19. On June 24, the investigation agency submitted its report accusing 30 individuals, including the former Rangpur Metropolitan Police commissioner.
On June 30, ICT-2 issued arrest warrants against 26 fugitives, including former BRU vice-chancellor Professor Dr Md Hasibur Rashid. On July 22, the tribunal appointed six state defence counsels to represent the fugitive accused in absentia.
Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam had pressed for framing charges on July 30, while defence counsels submitted discharge petitions for three of the detained accused a day earlier.
Earlier on August 27, ICT Chief Prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam said martyred Abu Sayed emerged as a shining symbol of courage in the July Uprising, standing tall in the face of police bullets, he spread his arms and bared his chest as if to declare, “This killing of people must stop.”
The Chief Prosecutor made the remarks while placing his opening statement in the case. The chief prosecutor further said while bleeding from the police baton charge on that day, Abu Sayed still spread his arms wide and bared his chest as if to say, “This killing of people must stop.”
“At that moment, the rifle of accused number eight, former police ASI Md Amir Hossain, roared. The first bullet hit his abdomen, leaving him stunned. Still, he stood again with chest outstretched. Then accused number nine, former constable Sujon Chandra Roy, fired two more rounds at him in succession. Afterwards, Abu Sayed crossed the road divider and sat down. When a fellow protester tried to lift him from the ground, he collapsed again. The students carrying Abu Sayed then set off in a rickshaw toward Rangpur Medical College Hospital. He, however, died of his injuries on his way to hospital,” the chief prosecutor added.
Chief Prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam demanded justice over the brutal killing that shocked the entire nation. Following the statement, the prosecution screened two video clips showing how Abu Sayed was shot from close range by policemen.
According to the prosecution, on July 16, 2024, just before Abu Sayed’s killing, then-proctor Shariful Islam, along with BCL activists, forcibly removed students from the BRU campus. During the incident, two policemen shot Sayed at close range.
The martyr’s family lodged a complaint on January 13, 2025, accusing 25 individuals in connection with the killing.