Md. Akhtaruzzaman Naim

A proud Shaheed of the July Revolution, Shaheed Md. Akhtaruzzaman Naim, comes from a poor family. He was born on January 1, 1981. His birthplace is his home district of Patuakhali. His father's name is the late Abdur Rob Mia and his mother's name is Mosammat Naznin Nahar. Shaheed Md. Akhtaruzzaman Naim was the sole support of his family. He worked as an Area Manager at ACI Pharmaceutical Company.
Current State of the Family
Akhtaruzzaman Naim is the son of the late Abdul Rob Master of Jamalkati village in Bauphal, Patuakhali. Due to his job, he lived with his family in the 'A' block of Goribe Newaz area of Mirpur Shah Ali. He was the eldest of three brothers and one sister. He has a 6-year-old son. With his father gone, all the responsibilities of the family rested on his shoulders. He ran the whole family with his single income. They have virtually no land of their own. His mother, Minara Begum, is almost always ill due to old age. There was always a lack of money in the family.
The Days of the July Revolution
In the quota reform movement, all the students and the public of the country united and took to the streets demanding reform of the quota system. But the government obstructed it. From then on, the movement gained momentum. The need for a single platform was felt. Through which the movement could be accelerated. In this context, the students and the public created a single platform called the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement. Which was created on July 1, 2024. With the aim of quota reform in Bangladesh, from July 1, 2024, the students involved in the movement under the banner of 'Anti-Discrimination Student Movement' gave continuous programs with four-point demands.
From July 2 to 6, students from various institutions in different parts of the country held demonstrations, human chains, highway blockades, etc. On July 7, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement carried out a program to shut down public transport and block roads in Dhaka, and later a nationwide blockade program was given, which is known as the "Bangla Blockade" program. During the Bangla Blockade, only the metro rail was operational in the capital. In the following days, the same programs were held in various parts of the country, including Dhaka. Students were subjected to attacks by the Chhatra League and the police in these programs. On July 14, the agitating students held a mass march in Dhaka and submitted a memorandum to the President Md. Shahabuddin.
On this day, the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her speech, described the quota movement activists as "grandchildren of Razakars", in response to the Prime Minister's remarks, the agitating students sarcastically chanted slogans like "Who are you? Who am I? Razakar, Razakar; Who said? Who said? Autocrat, Autocrat" and "Went to ask for rights; Became a Razakar". The next day, July 15, the Awami League and various officials and ministers of the then government accused the agitating students of destroying the 'spirit of the Liberation War'.
On July 15, Nahid Islam, one of the main coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, said, “After protesting last night, we demanded that the Prime Minister withdraw her statement by 12 noon on Monday. As it was not withdrawn, we have taken to the streets”. On the 15th, the Chhatra League launched a surprise attack on the general students. Which even surpassed the black night of March 25, 1971. They attacked the agitating students with sticks, hockey sticks, iron rods, machetes, Randa and various domestic weapons. The previous day, Awami League General Secretary and Bridge Minister Obaidul Quader instigated the Chhatra League to attack. After receiving his instigation, the central president of Chhatra League, Saddam Hossain, and the general secretary, Sheikh Inan, made all-out preparations to attack the general students. Weapons were brought into the campus at night in trucks. The president of Dhaka University Chhatra League, Shayan, and Secretary Tanvir Hasan Saikat, the president of Jagannath University Chhatra League, Ibrahim Farayeezi, and Secretary SM Akhtar Hossain were among the main masterminds of this attack. Cadres from different units of Chhatra League around Dhaka joined them. The members of Jubo League also cooperated. The horrific incident of the attack shocked the entire nation. When the injured and bleeding general students were admitted to the hospital, the Chhatra League went there and attacked them as well. Dhaka Medical Hospital turned into a battlefield that day. This scene created a stir across the country.
The arrogant behavior of the Chhatra League cadres who attacked the general students has disappointed the nation. Russell Ahmed of the 15th batch of the Department of Drama and Dramatics, a follower of Jagannath University Chhatra League President Ibrahim Farayeezi, was injured while attacking the students. At this time, he gave a status on Facebook, "I have beaten 11 people, after recovery, I will beat the 12th person." Many others like him behaved so arrogantly.
Many more joined from Jagannath University to attack the commoners. Among them, the names and identities of a few have been known, they are Meraj of the 11th batch of the Department of Islamic Studies, a cohort of the general secretary SM Akhtar Hossain, Ibrahim Sanim, Saidul Islam Said of the 12th batch of the Department of Education and Research, Akash of the 12th batch of the Department of Islamic History and Culture, Md. Yunus of the 12th batch, Habib of the 13th batch, Nazrul Islam Sagar of the 14th batch of the Department of Social Work, Sajedul Islam Saikat, Abdur Rahman of the 14th batch of the Faculty of Law, Obaidullah Hasib, Mehedi, President of the Department of Social Sciences Chhatra League, Sajbul Islam of the 15th batch of Islamic Studies and many others led the attack on the commoners from the front line. The cadres of various hall committees led by the Dhaka University Chhatra League President Mazharul Kabir Shayan and General Secretary Tanvirul Islam Saikat led this attack.
In the following days, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement led movements in different parts of the country. Then, to suppress the movement, the university hall administration issued an emergency notice to the students to leave the hall. The hall administration used force to make the students leave the hall. On the night of July 17, the coordinators announced a 'complete shutdown' program for the 18th.
On the 19th as well, the nationwide all-out strike called by the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement was underway. On this day, in the middle of the night, Nahid Islam, one of the central coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, was arrested. Around the time Nahid Islam was arrested, a meeting was held between three representatives of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and three representatives of the government, where they presented 'eight-point demands' to the government. Coordinators Sarjis Alam and Hasnat Abdullah and co-coordinator Tanvir Ahmed participated in the discussion on behalf of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.
On July 20, differences of opinion arose among the leaders regarding the meeting held by the three ministers of the government and the demands raised in the meeting. Arif Sohail, a student of Jahangirnagar University and one of the coordinators of the movement, alleged, “The three representatives who met with the ministers last night are not even a portion of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement. They are not even with the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement. If they have taken this decision and are propagating it in the name of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, then they are lying.” Another coordinator, Abdul Kader, said, “A few coordinators and co-coordinators are being forcibly tried to spread false news in the media.”
On July 21, a faction of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement announced a '9-point' demand and continued the shutdown. On July 22, Nahid Islam, one of the main coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, suspended the 'complete shutdown' program, giving a 48-hour ultimatum with four-point demands, he said, “Our four demands include – internet service resumption within 48 hours, withdrawal of law enforcement forces from the campuses and reopening of the campuses, providing security to the coordinators and activists, and withdrawing the curfew. We have no principled differences with those who have continued the nine-point demands and the shutdown. We are unable to talk to them due to lack of communication among ourselves.” After being missing since July 19, on July 24, the whereabouts of the coordinators including Asif Mahmud, Abu Baker Majumdar and Rifat Rashid, one of the main coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, were found. On July 25, eight messages were given to the agitating students on behalf of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement. These include making a list of the injured and dead, identifying those involved in the killings and attacks, and creating pressure to open universities and halls.
Shaheed Md. Akhtaruzzaman Naim at a glance
Name : Shaheed Md. Akhtaruzzaman Naim
Occupation : Employed
Institution : ACI Pharmaceutical Company
Date of birth : 01-01-1981
Age : 40 years
Father : Late Abdur Rahman
Mother : Mosammat Minara Begum
Permanent and current address : Village: Jamalkati, Union: 3 No. Dhanua, Thana: Bauphal, District: Patuakhali
Attacker : Combined gunfire of the killer forces of the autocrat Hasina
Date of Martyrdom : 27/07/2024, 3 PM
Place of Martyrdom : Mirpur-1
Proposals for the Shaheed's family
1. His family needs financial assistance
2. It is necessary to take responsibility for the Shaheed's son