Md. Tofazzal Islam

Shaheed Md. Tofazzal Islam, a heroic soldier of the anti-discrimination student-public movement, was born into a family of medium and low income. The financial situation of Tofazzal's family was quite precarious. The village's semi-educated Shaheed Md. Tofazzal was a construction worker, a painter by profession. In the context of the changing times, he, in his professional life as a painter, also did various other jobs to alleviate the poverty of his family and meet their limited needs. Understanding the hardship of his family, which depended on his father's meager income from agriculture, Shaheed Md. Tofazzal Islam left his childhood studies and chose the profession of painting and embarked on his working life. Here, the individual is merely a pawn, without any independent existence; rather, century after century, the middle class carries its cursed burden on its own shoulders and walks along an invisible circular orbit. And the society in which we live sometimes seems like the Colosseum of Rome. The gallery is full to the brim; everyone is cheering a lopsided battle and vigorously waving their hands and shouting, "Carry on the student movement, carry on the student movement." Then, at the end of that unequal battle and struggle, with a sigh of relief at the fall of the autocrat, everyone who was in the movement seems eager to witness the next battle.
aaaIt is a timeless truth that all peoples have their own traditions, just as Shaheed Md. Tofazzal Islam believes that tradition also holds a kind of philosophy of life. But when tradition, like termites, destroys society and creates divisions among people, there is no room for philosophy. Since the beginning of history, humans have only believed in separation based on power, color, and wealth, and perhaps countless other unnamed divisions. But it doesn't end there. Division creates discord, and discord creates control. Wherever it may have originated in the world's history, Shaheed Md. Tofazzal Islam believes it is all the same. He only sees control in the name of division, and this is what he opposes. This is where the magic of "Pather Panchali" lies. It does not want to be confined by any social structure based on the distribution of wealth, which is not in its control.
From this perspective, the story of the July Revolution is a story of protest against all shackles. Shaheed Tofazzal Islam was a witness to this revolution. Like "Pather Panchali," The July Revolution talks about building a new world, where there will be no division among people. Where people will not be distinguished or valued based on color, wealth, or power. Where no one will be deprived of their rights and everyone will have equal rights. Shaheed Tofazzal Islam joined the July Revolution with this dream. He wanted to break the shackles of tradition that had bound society for ages. He wanted to build a new society based on equality and justice.
Shaheed's Introduction
In the twenty-first century, in an area covering 157,000 square kilometers, the anti-authoritarian mass movement that captured the hearts of adolescents and youths was the one in which Shaheed Md. Tofazzal Islam jumped. His kind of courage and bravery will inspire the young generation for centuries to come to build the future of Bangladesh. Which is truly rare! This historic mass movement by a 22-year-old youth, even one raised in a farming family, overthrew the dictatorial regime on August 5, 2024.
Shaheed's Identity
Shaheed Md. Tofazzal Islam, the 22-year-old youth who was Martyred, was born in Jatukarn Para village, under Baniachong police station, in Habiganj district. His birthdate is October 24, 2002. He was a day laborer by profession. Although known to everyone in Baniachong Thana as a painter, his manners and demeanor charmed all. Besides his birth parents, he did not see much income from his elder brother. On the other hand, although his father's profession was farming, he was not very financially successful with the small capital he had. As a result, the family still faces hardship. His family's economic condition is very weak. Seeing the extremely poor state of the family's income, Shaheed Md. Tofazzal Islam quit his studies and took up painting to support them. The financial condition of the family, which depended on his birth father and his income, was reasonably good. Suddenly, with the death of the earning son in the mass movement, his family became helpless. The fearless, selfless, brave, and humble Shaheed Md. Tofazzal Islam was a very gentle person. The brave Shaheed Tofazzal was also cheerful, smart, a good footballer and cricketer at the same time. He joined the anti-discrimination student-public movement from frontline. His loud slogans echoed greatly, which is why he was strongly resented by the police and the Chhatra League goons raised under the patronage of the fascist government.
Shahadat
On the day of the incident, August 5, 2024, at noon, after the Jumu'ah prayer, preparations were underway for a large procession. Tofazzal Islam was at the forefront of the procession. As soon as the procession reached in front of the police station, the police started firing tear gas to disperse the crowd. When that failed, they started firing rubber bullets. At one point, they started firing live bullets. Tofazzal Islam was shot in the chest and immediately he fell to the ground. His companions quickly picked him up and took him to a local clinic, but the doctors there declared him dead. His body was then taken to the village. His death cast a shadow of mourning over the entire area.
Family Condition
Tofazzal Islam's family is in dire financial straits. His father is a farmer, but he doesn't own any land. They live in a small hut on other people's land. Tofazzal Islam was the sole breadwinner of his family. After his death, his family is now completely helpless. They have no other source of income. They are struggling to survive. The government or any other organization has not yet provided any assistance to his family. They are in desperate need of financial help.
Tofazzal Islam, who was injured, was dragged inside the police station. Then, the murderous police and the killer Chhatra League, in stages, ensured his death by beating him with gun barrels and batons. In this way, the 22-year-old struggling life of Shaheed Tofazzal Islam came to an end, which was never imaginable.
How He Became a Shaheed
The fearless and courageous Shaheed Tofazzal Islam, from the very beginning of the anti-quota student movement, was involved in rallies and meetings alongside his painting profession, leading the Jatukarn Para area. On the morning of August 5, 2024, in the anti-discrimination student-public movement, as he reached in front of the Baniachong police station with the common people from his area, chanting slogans, the dictator, the vote-less and unpopular prime minister, the destroyer of democracy, and even the killer Hasina's pet forces, namely the police, Chhatra League, and Awami League terrorists, attacked. Suddenly, as a chase and counter-chase started between the two sides, at one point, when the fascist Hasina and her accomplices, the police, Chhatra League, and Awami League, started firing bullets, Shaheed Tofazzal Islam was immediately shot and fell to the ground. Then, the Chhatra League members, who were recognized with various tags, including those who created terror in educational institutions for over a decade, those who were tender snatchers and extortionists who looted public property, and those who were recognized as rapists, came and dragged the injured Tofazzal Islam inside the police station.
Near Relatives' and Friends' Feelings about the Shaheed
According to eyewitnesses and sources related to the incident, Shaheed Tofazzal's cousin, Md. Shahidul Islam, said, "Tofazzal Islam was an extremely good-natured person. The devout Shaheed Tofazzal regularly offered the five daily prayers in the mosque with the congregation. The language of the day laborer Shaheed Tofazzal was very sweet. Therefore, along with building a simple life, whenever he saw any injustice or inequality in society or the state, he did not hesitate to make an appropriate response.
When the students started gathering in front of the Baniachong police station during the mass movement, Shaheed Tofazzal Islam immediately came out of the house and started chanting slogans with the students and the public, saying that the movement was going on and would continue, which was unbelievable. Because of this, the animosity of the pet forces, the police and the Chhatra League were very much aggressive towards him. was greater. In this way, the loss of a heroic and anti-injustice friend forever is somehow not fitting for the circle of friends.
A Glimpse of the Shaheed's Personal InformationName : Shaheed Mohammad Tofazzal Islam
Date of Birth : 24-10-2002
Profession : Laborer (Day Laborer)
Place of Birth : Jatukarn Para, Habiganj
Address Information : Permanent and Current Address: Village: Jatukarn Para, Union: Jatrapsha,
: Thana: Baniachong, District: Habiganj
Place of Incident : In front of Baniachong Police Station
Assailants : Police and thugs Force Chhatra League of the Fascist Government
Time of Injury : August 5, 2024
Time of Death : 11:30 AM
Father : Abdur Rauf Miah, Profession: Farmer, Age: 55 years
Mother : Hena Begum, Profession: Housewife, Age: 45 years
Family Members : Three brothers and one sister