Md. Ibrahim Khalil

"Mother stood for prayer,
so there was no more obstacle
for Ibrahim to join the movement."

Shaheed Md. Ibrahim Khalil was born on May 1, 2012 in the Matuail area of Demra police station in Dhaka district. His father's name is Hanif Mia and his mother's name is Sakhina Bibi. His childhood was not very happy. When Ibrahim was only six months old, his father left him, his 6-year-old elder brother and mother and went elsewhere. He never inquired about the family afterwards. Ibrahim's life journey has been arranged in layers of incompleteness, sorrow, hardship and struggle since then. So, he was deprived of paternal love from a very young age. Shaheed's mother Sakhina Bibi tried her best to fill this void.
Is happiness then elusive in the lives of Sakhina Bibi’s?
Sakhina Bibi was born in a remote village in Ghoraghat Upazila of Dinajpur district. A large family consisting of her poor peasant father, mother, and five siblings. She decided to help the impoverished family. She came to the capital, Dhaka, with her cousin, Asma. Sakhina's work as a domestic helper began. She worked continuously for five years in a house in Dhanmondi. At one point, she met Hanif Mia and they became a couple. After marriage, despite being childless for a long time, at one point, the martyr's elder brother, Yakub Ali, was born. And exactly 5 and a half years after him, martyr Ibrahim was born.
Six months after the martyr's birth, their cruel father left this family of three adrift and became disappeared. Sakhina Bibi's other life war began with her two young children! She began to raise her two children, who were dearer to her than her own life, with little to no food. In her personal life, Sakhina Bibi is a very religious person. So, she was determined to have her two children receive madrasa education.
Regarding this, she says, "I have suffered a lot in life. I know that only Allah can save me from this suffering. That's why I sent my two sons to the madrasa, so that even if it is through their means, Allah will end all my sorrows and sufferings."
What a wonderful expression! What a strong faith in the Almighty Allah! Shaheed Ibrahim and his elder brother, Yakub Ali, were both students of the madrasa. After completing his memorization (Hifz), Yakub Ali continued his studies. However, due to family turmoil, it was not possible to continue his studies later. But he was determined to continue the education of his younger brother, Ibrahim. As part of this, he started working in a cloth shop in Gulistan. Meanwhile, Shaheed Ibrahim was continuing his Qur'an memorization at Jamia Madania Baitus Sujud Madrasa in Demra. By this time, he had completed memorizing 6 juz of the Qur'an.
The Banyan Tree of this family, Mother Sakhina Bibi
Nearly 19 years after their marriage, Sakhina Bibi was confused (at a loss) with the two children she had left behind when their cruel father vanished, leaving behind Ibrahim, who had just been born, and Yakub Ali, who was only six years old. She was forced to resume her job as a domestic servant, which she had done for a significant portion of her life, because she had no other option. She so started raising her two children, her two aspirations, in the middle of hundreds of tribulations. For almost the entire 25 years of her stay in Dhaka, Sakhina Bibi had to work in other people's homes.
She used to work in three houses as well as cooking in a mess. Out of the small amount of money earned from there, 6000 Taka had to be given for house rent. This is her regular struggle. However, thinking about her mother's various illnesses and sufferings, Yakub Ali had to drop out of studies at one point in his life. To take responsibility for the family and continue the education of his younger brother Ibrahim, he has been working in a cloth shop in Gulistan since 2022 on a contract of food and a meager amount of pocket money.
The public and students stood up, led by Shaheed Ibrahim.
Almost the entire decade and a half of Awami rule was terrifying. Where was the peace? Killing and disappearing people with opposing views were old news. With excessive corruption all around, mismanagement in the market, and the rising prices of goods, the common people were gasping for breath. Ibrahim, who had experienced all of such struggle in his short life, now joined the students' justified anti-discrimination student movement. as the people were backed against the wall. On June 5 of this year, the court declared the old circular abolishing the freedom fighter quota in direct recruitment to government offices, autonomous and semi-autonomous institutions, and various corporations (9th to 13th grade) illegal. Resultantly, the movement spread anew, and the government's nurtured Chhatra League, Jubo League, and Sechasebok League terrorists and police pounced like hyenas on the unarmed students from the very beginning. On July 16, Abu Saeed of Rangpur, Faisal Mahmud Shanto of Chittagong, Wasim Akram, and several others were martyred. Now the movement became more and more intense. In protest of the killing of his unarmed brother in another part of the country, the young Ibrahim participated in the movement.
The story of young Ibrahim's martyrdom
July 19, 2024, the situation was heated in the Signboard area from that morning. After offering Jummah prayers, Ibrahim went home once. From behind the door, he saw his mother offering prayers inside. Who could stop him now? He went to participate in the movement. In protest of all the student killings across the country after the 16th of July, a fierce movement was going on in the Signboard area that day. In the tense moment, a clash broke out between the aggressive police and the unarmed students and the public. In the face of police tear gas, rubber bullets, and bullets in the peaceful movement, the students and the public did not flee but became even more united. They continued the protest. BGB joined the police. The border guard BGB did not stop at suppressing the unarmed students and the public. Despite being surprised by the BGB's recruitment, the protesting students and the public continued their protest. At one point in the movement, the police and BGB launched a very sudden joint attack on the students and the public.
It was about 4 pm, a bullet hit Ibrahim just below his right ear, and he fell down. The spurting blood from the right side of his face and the countless pellet wounds mutilated the face of the 13-year-old Ibrahim. He was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital in a bullet-ridden condition. By then, the little Ibrahim had finished his journey in the world. Immediately after the Asr prayers, news was sent home from the phone that Ibrahim had with him. The wailing of his mother and only brother began. The whole neighborhood of Haji Badsha Mia Road changed in an instant. Everyone became silent. Some of the neighbors went with the family to bring Shaheed Ibrahim's body.
Feelings of classmates and locals about Shaheed Ibrahim
Shaheed Ibrahim's classmates say, "Ibrahim was a very good-hearted person. He always helped everyone. At the same time, he was very talented and religious."
His close neighbor and landlord Shamim Mia said, "Ibrahim was very dear to everyone. He was very calm from a young age. Along with his family, we also had a dream that one day he would become a great Alim. He would work for the country and its people. He would take charge of this helpless family.
Martyr's Personal Information at a Glance
Full Name of the Martyr : Md. Ibrahim Khalil
Date of Birth : May 1, 2012
Occupation : Student (Hifz Madrasa)
Father's Name : Md. Hanif Mia
Mother's Name : Sakhina Bibi
Mother's Occupation : Works in other people's homes
Number of Family Members : 3
Family's Monthly Income : 9000 (Mother's income is the only source of income for the family)
Sibling:
Name: Md. Yakub Ali, Age: 20 years, Occupation: Cloth shop employee
Current Address : Haji Badsha Mia Road, Thana: Demra, District: Dhaka
Regarding the family's assistance
A job or business establishment can be arranged for the martyr's elder brother.
The family has been living in a rented house for 25 years, they are in dire need of a residence.
Regular financial assistance can be provided.