Din Islam Bepari

"Take me to him, I want to know why my son was shot, why was my son killed? Can anyone answer me? My son was a Hafiz (one who has memorized the Quran). He ate rice at my house just this afternoon. Give me back my son's life. That Hasina killed my son, emptied my heart, one day her heart will also be emptied."
Shaheed Din Islam Bepari
Hafez Din Islam Bepari was born in May 2002 in the Jatrabari area of Dhaka. He was very polite, sociable, and intelligent since his childhood. Impressed by his son's behavior, Mr. Shah Alam admitted him to Jamia Islamia Darul Uloom Madania, Dakhin Jatrabari Madrasa. Being talented, he quickly achieved success in his madrasa education. He successfully completed the memorization of the Holy Quran. Din Islam was everyone's favorite as he was the first Hafiz-e-Quran in the family. Although his ancestral home is in Chandpur, Shaheed Din Islam's family has been living in the Jatrabari area for the last twenty-five years. His father is a tea shop owner. They have a tea shop at the intersection adjacent to the Jatrabari flyover. The shop is rented. There is no arable land in the martyr's village home. However, there is a dilapidated one-room house where the Hafiz-e-Quran's grandmother lives. The house is made of bamboo and tin fences.
Life Still Goes On
Mr. Shah Alam is physically ill. Before starting his tea business, he used to crush sugarcane using a machine. One day, while the machine was running, his shirt sleeve got caught, causing a horrific injury. His entire body became entangled in the machine. Eventually, people nearby rescued him. Though he survived, he became permanently disabled. After being admitted to Dhaka Medical College for six months, he underwent plastic surgery. Currently, the left side of his body is paralyzed, and he cannot lift more than five kilograms.
"You can find everything in this world, but never again will you find a brother’s love."
Samiul Islam is the only younger brother of Shaheed Din Islam, whom he loved immensely and always protected. He never mistreated his younger brother. Currently, Samiul has passed his SSC from Sabuj Vidyapith School and is on the verge of enrolling in college.
Down with Tyranny, Let Bangladesh Be Free!
Testimony of the Movement
Across the country, a one-point demand arose to ensure the fall of dictator Sheikh Hasina. Initially, the movement began with demands for quota reform. Later, the Hasina government provoked students by labeling them collaborators (Razakars). This led to mass outrage, and students, along with the public, intensified their protests, demanding Sheikh Hasina’s resignation nationwide, including Dhaka.
On August 5, 2024, anti-discrimination coordinators announced a siege of Ganabhaban. In response, thousands took to the streets. To suppress student demands, Awami terrorist forces, with direct backing from then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, carried out enforced disappearances, torture, and killings across the country. Under her orders, police forces unleashed tear gas, rubber bullets, shotgun pellets, and sniper attacks on students and the general public. Many students and working-class people had to be martyred.
In the end, the killer Hasina could not hold on to power. Before the student masses could reach Ganabhaban, she resigned from the government. Fearing the people's wrath, she fled to India by helicopter.
Victory Tainted with Grief
As victory processions spread across the country, Hafiz Din Islam joined the celebration near Jatrabari Flyover, bringing along his 17-year-old younger brother Samiul. Even after Hasina's resignation, her puppet police force continued to open fire indiscriminately, turning the streets into graveyards.
Seeing the police shooting directly at the crowd, the two brothers panicked and tried to escape. They took shelter behind a pillar of the flyover. It was 3:30 PM. While Samiul managed to hide, Din Islam was spotted by the police. Upon seeing him, the police turned vicious and fired bullets into his left arm and right leg. The brutal shots killed Hafiz Din Islam on the spot.
When Shilpi Akter, his mother, heard the news of her son's death, she screamed in agony:
"Take me to him! I want to know why they shot my son! Why was he murdered? Someone answer me! My son was a Hafiz of the Quran! He ate lunch at home just today! Give me back my son's life! Hasina has killed my boy, she has emptied my heart! One day, she will also suffer the same fate!"
Eventually, the body of Hafiz-e-Quran Shaheed Din Islam Bepari was taken to his village home. His janaza (funeral prayer) was held in Tetalia field in the presence of the villagers. His grieving grandmother repeatedly called out: "Oh Shah Alam, where are you taking my Din?"
The Heaviest Burden on Earth: A Father Carrying His Son’s Coffin
There is no greater pain in the world than losing a child. Death is the most certain fate of all, an inevitable reality.
The paralyzed father lifted his son’s bier—the same hands that struggled to lift a simple kettle in his shop now carried the weight of his son's coffin. As he carried his son, he wept uncontrollably, picturing his child’s smiling face.
Finally, the martyr Hafiz Din Islam Bepari was laid to eternal rest in the Tetalia graveyard, Chandpur.
"A person with a kind heart leaves the whole world in its debt."
A Devastated Family
The martyr's sudden death cast a shadow of grief over the family. His father, while crying, said, "I am a paralyzed, disabled man, how will I run this family? How will I forget this grief? Shaheed Din Islam Bepari was the sole breadwinner of the family. With his death, the tea shop is about to close down. And this shop is the only source of livelihood for the family."
The martyr's aunt says -
"I saw Din Islam when he was ten years old. The boy was always smiling. If I spoke loudly, he would stop me. He would say, 'Aunt, you should speak softly. Allah likes to speak softly.' Din was very affectionate towards the younger children. Even if he had only one Taka, he would buy chocolates for the younger ones. It's hard for me to believe that Din Islam is no more."
Analysis:
This passage focuses on the devastating impact of Din Islam's death on his family. His father's words highlight the family's precarious financial situation, as they relied solely on Din Islam's income from the tea shop. The aunt's reminiscences paint a picture of Din Islam as a kind, gentle, and compassionate young man, making his loss even more poignant.
Personal Information of the Shaheed at a Glance
Name : Din Islam Bepari
Profession : Businessman
Date of Birth & Age : May 2, 2002 (22 years old)
Date of Martyrdom : August 5, 2024 (Monday) at approximately 3:45 PM
Place of Martyrdom : Jatrabari Flyover
Burial Site : Madhya Tetalia Graveyard, Enayet Nagar, Matlab Uttar, Chandpur
Permanent Address : Village: Madhya Tetalia, Union: Enayet Nagar, Police Station: Matlab, District: Chandpur
Father : Shah Alam Bepari (Tea vendor, 44 years old, disabled)
Mother : Shilpi Akter (Homemaker, 39 years old)
Property Status : Owns a small plot of land for residence
Siblings : o
Brother : Samiul Islam (17 years old, student at Sabuj Vidyapith School & College)
Recommendations :
Arranging educational support for the martyr’s only younger brother, Samiul.
Providing a disability allowance for his father.
Expanding the family’s only source of income, the tea shop, into a larger business.