Md. Rasel Rana

In a quiet, green village named Bholagari in the Cosba Union of Manda Thana, Naogaon District, Rasel Rana was born to Pintu Rahman and Anjana Begum. The day of his birth was March 2nd, 2004. The cold winds of the month of Magh had not yet completely bid farewell. Rasel was the only son among Pintu and Anjana's three daughters.
Father, Md. Pintu Rahman, is a rickshaw puller and day laborer by profession. Mother, Mosha. Anjana Begum, is a housewife by profession and works in other people's homes. The eldest of the three sisters, Mosha. Sharmin Khatun, is married and lives in her in-laws' house. The middle sister, Mosha. Shakila Khatun, is divorced. And the youngest sister, 13-year-old Mosha. Boishakhi Khatun, is disabled from birth.
The days of this helpless family were spent with the money earned by the father from rickshaw pulling and the mother from working in other people's houses. Due to the father's extremely poor financial condition, none of the siblings had the good fortune to study. At a young age, Rasel Rana went to Narayanganj to live with a neighboring uncle. There, from 2019 to 2021, he learned tailoring work without pay. Then, from 2022 until his death, he worked for a monthly salary of 1500 taka.
The Incident
Mother Anjana Begum is almost distraught. She holds Rasel's blood-stained shirt to her chest and weeps. The whole village is submerged in a sea of grief by that cry. Weeping, she says, "My son has suffered so much since childhood! Whatever he earned, he would give half to his father. He would bring new clothes every Eid. He had promised to get his sister's medical care. But that son is no more."
How Rasel Became a Martyr
July 2024; The consciousness of the people had awakened in the country against discrimination. By then, Rasel had become a brave, protesting young man. A fearless soul who would not accept injustice.
July 19, 2024; Students in Narayanganj took to the streets in an anti-discrimination movement. Rasel was with them. His eyes held the promise to stand against injustice. A fierce clash erupted between the police and the students in that movement. Suddenly, the police opened fire on the students. In an instant, all dreams were shattered when a bullet pierced Rasel's chest. Rasel fell to the ground. The time was 5:30 PM. Yet, just 30 minutes earlier, at 5 PM, Shaheed Rasel had spoken with his father.
A call went to Rasel's father's phone from an unknown number. He received the news that Rasel had been shot in the chest. To verify the truth of the incident, Rasel's father contacted Rasel's neighboring uncle in Narayanganj, but he could say nothing. Finally, Pintu rushed to Dhaka. On July 21st, they found Rasel at Dhaka Medical College.
Meanwhile, the locals took the shot Rasel to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. There, the doctor said that Rasel had lost a lot of blood. He needed blood to save him. But who would arrange the blood! Who would donate blood!
Despite being admitted to Dhaka Medical College in an injured condition, Rasel did not receive proper treatment. Due to excessive blood loss, after writhing on the hospital bed for three days, Rasel Rana was martyred on Monday, July 22, 2024, at 3:30 AM.
More Information about Shaheed Rasel
The financial condition of Shaheed Md. Rasel Rana's family is extremely dire. His father, Mohammad Pintu Rahman, is the family's only source of income. He works as a day laborer during the crop season and drives a rickshaw in Dhaka city for the rest of the year. His mother works in other people's homes. Currently, Rasel Rana's family consists of five members, including his parents, grandmother, and two sisters. They live in a small, two-room mud house on 1 decimals of land received from his father's cousin-in-law and some adjacent government land.
Among Rasel Rana's three sisters, the eldest sister, Sharmin, is married and lives in a neighboring village. The life of the middle sister, Shakila, was not happy. Just three months after her marriage, her husband divorced her and sent her back to her father's house. And the youngest sister is physically disabled from birth. She cannot walk, let alone move around. That sister is still bedridden.
Rasel came to the city with many dreams. He would do something big one day. His father would not have to drive a rickshaw, his mother would no longer work in other people's homes, his younger sister would receive treatment, and so much more! But a bullet from the autocracy brought the life of that dream-filled boy to a halt.
When he was taken to Dhaka Medical College in an injured condition, the doctors said that he had lost a lot of blood. He needed an emergency blood transfusion. But there was no one beside him! Who would give blood? Who would arrange blood? Rasel cried out in hunger and thirst! But no one gave him even a drop of water. They silently killed Rasel by not treating him. On July 22nd, at 3:30 AM, Rasel was martyred. That evening, his body was brought to his village home, Bholagari. Mother Anjana Begum is distraught. She holds Rasel's blood-stained shirt to her chest and weeps. The whole village is submerged in a sea of grief by that cry. Weeping, she says, "My son has suffered so much since childhood! Whatever he earned, he would give half to his father. He would bring new clothes every Eid. He had promised to get his sister's treatment. But that son is no more."
Rasel's father, Pintu Rahman, said with a tearful voice, "My son did not commit any crime. He just stood up against injustice. Why did they kill my son? My only son is gone. My life is over."
For Rasel's disabled sister, his mother fasted continuously for a year. She prayed to Allah to heal her daughter. But Allah tested her in a different way. He took away Rasel, who dreamed of his younger sister's treatment, from this world.
Rasel's grandmother says, "Rasel would call and say, 'Grandmother, I don't like it in Dhaka anymore. If I had a shop, I would come back home.' My grandson did return home, but wrapped in a white cloth. They killed my grandson."
Everyone in the village is crying. The neighbors are also grieving. They want justice for Rasel's murder. No one could have imagined that this brave boy, who stood up against discrimination, would be pushed so cruelly to his death. His family is now empty, submerged in poverty. His father no longer drives a rickshaw, his mother weeps, and his sister is suffering from illness!
But amidst this grief, they have a dream—that one day there will be justice for the death of Shaheed Rasel Rana. That his fight against discrimination will not be in vain. That no other mother's lap will be emptied.