Md. Antar Islam

"When I put him down into the grave, my hands got wet with blood. There were many bullets on his face" - the shaheed’s cousin
On January 2, 2002, Shaheed Md. Antar Islam was born in Kaijuri village, Kaijuri Hat Union, Sirajganj district. Mst. Zainab Khatun (60) is the mother, and Md. Abdul Haque (65) is the father. Antar, the martyr, truly reflected a life of hardship. He put a lot of effort into supporting his family and his own studies. Md. Antar Islam, a talented student from Kaijuri village in the Sirajganj district's Shahjadpur Upazila, resided by the side of the Jamuna River banks. Just as the river brings many things to people's lives, it also takes away the dreams and possibilities of hundreds of people. In 2007, their ancestral house was destroyed by the Jamuna River erosion and the family had to move to a new place.
They had no land for farming, nor did they have any livestock. The only source of income was Antar Islam. He was studying in the third year at Shahjadpur Government College. He used to work in Dhaka to support his family. He would come from Dhaka to Sirajganj just to take part in exam and then went back to Dhaka again. He earned his own expenses for the family and his own studies. In a family of two brothers and four sisters, the elder brother lives separately and the sisters are married. On August 5, the country achieved independence for the second time. He became martyred when the members of the Ansar forces fired on the victory procession.
How He Became a Martyr
The incident took place in such a period when the whole country was turbulent demanding the stepdown of the Hasina government. The students and people took to the streets at the call of the leaders of the anti-discrimination student movement. The killer Hasina, known as the mother of Mafia, ordered a crackdown on the students on the move to all levels of the forces responsible for order, including Awami League, Jubo League, Chhatra League, Police, BGB. Still, the whole country including Dhaka became violent. On August 4, 2024, the police and armed terrorists of Chhatra League started firing indiscriminately on the protesters. Hasina's pet forces started firing rubber bullets, tear shells, and sniper fire from multi-storied buildings and helicopters. Martyr Antar was injured by a rubber bullet fired by the police on this day. On August 5th, the victory of the people was achieved and the toppled autocrat fled to Delhi, India. On this day, despite being ill, Martyr Antar Islam participated in the victory procession. As the victory procession proceeded towards the Safipur Ansar Academy, the Ansar members started firing indiscriminately at the victory procession. The bullets and rubber bullets fired by the police hit Antar Islam's head, face and neck. When he fell to the ground, the agitating students took him to the hospital where the on-duty doctor declared him dead. However, initially no news of his body was available. Later, on inquiry, his body was found in the hospital.
Reaction of the shaheed’s relatives and friends, the relatives and friends are deeply saddened by the untimely death of the ever-smiling and friendly Martyr Antar Islam. Martyr Antar Islam's friend Habibul Bashar said, "Antar is a very good boy. When he was at home, we used to go out for a walk together in the afternoon. He went to Dhaka for the sake of livelihood. There he used to participate in the movement regularly. I had a lot of talks with him on 4th August night, but he didn't say that he had been hit by a rubber bullet. I asked him, will you go to the movement? He said, 'Yes, I will.' I said, even if you go to the movement, be careful. Martyr Antar was a very good friend of mine. We want a fair trial for his murder."
Cousin Asad Ali said, "Martyr Antar was a very good boy. He never had any trouble with anyone."
Five-year-old nephew Faisal Ahmed said, "He feels a lot of pain for his uncle now. One night he dreamt that his uncle came to him and said, 'Uncle, don't be in pain, one day you will meet me." Since hearing the news of her son's death, the old father has lost consciousness for twice.
Information about the Martyr’s Family
Shaheed Md. Antar Islam was the only earning member of the family. The 65-year-old old father used to do tree business earlier but is now completely unemployed. Every six months, Tk 300 is given to the elderly mother as an old age allowance. The elderly father is hard of hearing, and both parents are ill. The family was truly dependent on the salary of the martyr Antar. The 2007 floods destroyed their old home. Martyr and his family used to reside there after they purchased a plot of land and constructed a new home after a long hardship. The old parents are currently leading a helpless life because the earning member became a Martyr. The elderly parents without earrings are ill. They should get a regular allowance.
Personal Information of the Martyr at a Glance
Name : Shaheed Md. Antar Islam
Father: Md : Abdul Haque (65)
Mother: Mosa : Zainab Khatun (60)
Date of Birth : January 2nd, 2002
Permanent Address : Village-Kaijuri, Union: Kaijuri Hat, Thana: Shahjadpur, District: Sirajganj
Present Address : Kaijuri Ward No. 4, Shahjadpur, Sirajganj
Place of Injury : Shafipur Ansar Academy, Gazipur
Time of Injury : August 5th, 2024, 4:30 PM
Time and Place of Martyrdom : August 5th, 2024, 4:30 PM. Shafipur Academy, Gazipur
Cause of Martyrdom : Killed by Ansar member's bullet
Last Educational Institution : Shahjadpur Government College, Sirajganj, Third Year, History
Workplace : Worked at Apex Company while studying
Recommendations
1. Regular allowance for the elderly parents is essential.
2. Treatment should be arranged for the Martyr’s elderly parents.
3. Regular follow-up is necessary.