Md. Jamal Hossain Sikdar

Deeds are another name for preserving memories even after death. Our rural Bengal is a haven of serene peace. This Bangladesh of exquisite natural beauty has been built with 68,000 villages. Among the thousands of villages, Charchitia, under Borhanuddin Thana of Bhola district, is such a village. For hundreds of years, the simple and straightforward people of the village have been living there together. In this village, a newborn was born on December 11, 1983, illuminating the faces of father Abul Kalam and mother Shahida Begum. The parents lovingly named him Md. Jamal Uddin.
From his childhood, he was gentle, polite, and a philanthropic person. Jamal, who grew up amidst thousands of sorrows and hardships, had a soft heart. He also wanted to build a family with a wife and children like the other ten people in society. But in a cruel twist of fate, his wife left him nine years ago with their only daughter. Since then, his solitary life began, the focal point of which was his mother and brothers. He left the village for the capital to drive an auto-rickshaw for the sake of his livelihood, his only dream being to keep his parents well.
Family Condition
Basically, Md. Jamal Hossain Sikdar lived in Dhaka, and his elderly mother and brothers lived in the village house. All the expenses of the family and his mother and brothers depended on Jamal Uddin's income. There was no land or property outside the homestead in the village. His mother and brothers lived here, but its condition was also dilapidated. Jamal Uddin's mother and one brother, who is an epileptic patient, were living in this miserable condition. With his Martyrdom, the family has become completely destitute. Losing him, the whole family is now on the verge of taking to the streets. They no longer have any assets left to call their own. On the other hand, he had taken a loan of two lakh Taka to buy the auto-rickshaw, which has now become an added burden for the family after his death. Currently, they are plagued by financial crisis. Now they are worried about how they will survive and how they will manage the household expenses. The absence of the head of the family has pushed their lives into darkness. That is why the poet said,
"Why do sorrows come in a procession like this,
Stopping the heartbeat of the hardworking people?
Why do sorrows repeatedly love them,
Covering their lives full of laughter and tears with silence?"
In this dire situation, they are hoping that society will help them so that some light can return to their lives.
How He Became a Martyr
The anti-discrimination student movement was going on throughout July '24. The students were mainly raising their demands through peaceful protests, human chains, protest rallies, and seminars. However, in various instances, the movement became violent, creating tension between the security forces and the students. Because the autocratic government, instead of accepting the just demands of the students, was carrying out a steamroller of oppression on them. Bullets, rubber bullets, sound grenades, and tear shells were being thrown at student-masses across the country. The chests of thousands of mothers were being emptied, thousands of children were becoming fatherless, and many became widows even before the henna (mahdi) on their hands could dry. In the wake of this movement, last Friday, July 19, Jamal Uddin went out with his auto-rickshaw after having breakfast in the morning. But on the way, he faced the student movement, where there was chase and counter-chase and gunfire between the students and the police.
In this situation, suddenly a bullet hit Jamal's chest and he immediately collapsed to the ground. Then the general public carried him to Suhrawardy Medical and admitted him to the cardiology department. But leaving his family destitute, Jamal Uddin left this world at 11:30 am. Seeing this, the common people of the country could not remain silent. One of them was driver Jasim Uddin, who could see the imprint of his own children on the faces of the oppressed students and masses. So, surrendering to his conscience, he stopped driving and joined the movement every day. During that time, even in the face of extreme adversity, he tried to help the student-masses. At one point, this movement turned into a movement to overthrow the government. A flood of students and masses poured across the country. The slogan of Hasina's downfall began to resonate from mouth to mouth.
Above all, the student-masses had called for a non-cooperation movement from August 4. That afternoon, the announcement came that there would be a "Long March to Dhaka" the next day. Meanwhile, the country became free from autocracy. But Shaheed Md. Jamal Uddin could not enjoy the joy of the liberation of that free country.
Feelings of Close Relatives and Friends about the Martyr
It is said, "A man does not live in years but in deeds," this is exactly true in the case of Jamal Uddin.
A neighbor of Jamal Uddin said, Jamal Uddin was a very good boy. He used to talk to everyone with a smile. He had no personal enmity with anyone. Moreover, all the people of the area have said the same thing about Jamal Uddin.
Jamal Uddin's sister said, "My brother was a very good man, he never quarreled with anyone. He had a good relationship with everyone in the village. He used to buy us clothes for Eid. It feels very bad when I remember him."
Personal Information of the Shaheed Md. Jamal at a Glance
Full Name: Md. Jamal Hossain Sikdar
Birth: 11-12-1983
Occupation: Auto-rickshaw driver
Father: Mohashin Sikdar
Mother: Mst. Saleha Begum
Address: Village: Charchitia, Union: Deula, Ward No. 9, Thana: Borhanuddin, District: Bhola
Current Address: Mohammadpur, Dhaka
Number of Family Members: 4 people
Members:
1. Brother: Kamal (Age 30 years, Epileptic patient)
2. Brother: Liton (Age 27 years, Auto-rickshaw driver)
3. Sister: Rina Begum (Age 22 years, Married)
Place and Date of Injury: Mohammadpur Allah Karim Mosque, July 19, 11:30 AM
Assailant: Police
Date and Place of Death: While undergoing treatment in the hospital, 19/07/2024
Burial: Mohammadpur Intellectuals' Graveyard
Proposals for Helping the Martyr's Family
1. Setting up a business for his brother would be beneficial.
2. Arranging for the brother's medical expenses.
3. Arranging for housing for the family.