Omar Faruk

"He who holds the Quran in his heart
will return to the desert of martyrdom
Shaheed Omar Faruk was born on September 9, 2007, in a respectable Muslim family in Hariganj village, Charbhuta Union, under Lalmohan Thana of Bhola district. He was the third of his parents' four children. His father is Md. Foyezullah and his mother is Hamida Begum. He received his early education at a local Maktab. Highly intelligent, Omar Faruk memorized nearly 20 paras of the Quran in a short time.
Childhood and Other Family Members
His childhood was spent in Hariganj, a picturesque village in the island region of Bhola. From a young age, he regularly offered prayers. He was thus loved by elders and younger people alike. Despite being from a poor family, Shaheed Omar Faruk was unselfish and resilient. His childhood was spent with his elder brother, Al-Imran, and another sister, Hafsa.
His behavior was highly appreciated by neighbors, relatives, and colleagues. Due to his father's financial difficulties, he did not hesitate to take responsibility for the family, deciding to support his father and cover the educational expenses of his elder brother and younger sister. Therefore, he worked as a day laborer in a coil factory to provide assistance to his father and family. He was also known for his philanthropic nature in the area.
Shaheed's Family Condition
Shaheed Omar Faruk's father is a security guard. And the Shaheed himself worked as a laborer in a coil factory. Omar Faruk has one brother and two sisters. His parents are alive. Their only asset is 15 decimals of homestead land in the village. They have no other land or property. They lived in a rented tin house in Rayarbagh, Dhaka. His sister, Hafsa Begum (20), was married at a young age but is now divorced. His elder brother, Al Imran (25), is a student (Fazil 3rd year), and his younger sister, Afsana (13), is a student (8th grade). Both are studying at Lalmohan Islamia Kamil Madrasa in Bhola district. The entire family's livelihood depended on the money Omar Faruk earned from working in the coil factory and the limited income his father received from working as a security guard.
The Story of Omar Faruk Becoming Shaheed Omar Faruk
Throughout the country, there were movements of anti-discrimination students and the public, and resistance from the forces unleashed by the autocrat. Jatrabari area, one of the main entry points of Dhaka, was a 'red zone' area from the very beginning of this movement. The momentum of the movement was increasing day by day under various names like 'Bangla Blockade', 'Complete Shutdown'. Arrests, shootings, attacks with local weapons, etc., centering on the student-public movement by the autocratic government's administration and party cadres were then a daily occurrence. On Friday, July 19, 2024, the Complete Shutdown program called by the anti-discrimination students was underway. On the other hand, an indefinite curfew had been imposed by the illegal killer government.
But, defying the curfew, students and the public across the country jumped into the movement on the streets, which the illegal government's administration could not suppress in any way. That day, Shaheed Omar Faruk was on the streets with the movement in front of Donia College in the Jatrabari area all day. He remained in the field despite police attacks, tear gas, and bullets. At the same time, he repeatedly warned everyone else participating in the movement. Unable to withstand the strong resistance of the students and the public, as evening fell, armed terrorists of the Chhatra League, Jubo League, and Awami League started firing indiscriminately at the students and the public in the protest procession.
The police were also quite aggressive at that time. They were firing with automatic weapons with accurate aim at the unarmed students and public who were a few meters ahead. Still, the rebellion of the students and the public could not be suppressed. Even though the injured and wounded were sent to the hospital, everyone else remained on the streets. In such a dark moment, several bullets riddled Shaheed Omar Faruk's chest. Later, locals rescued Shaheed Omar Faruk in a bullet-ridden condition and took him to the National Chest Disease Hospital in Mohakhali, Dhaka. Due to excessive blood loss from the bullet injury in his lungs, he passed away on August 2, 2024, at 3:00 AM.
Memories of the Shaheed by His Brother
According to Shaheed's elder brother, Al Imran, "Shaheed Omar Faruk did not progress much in his studies, but he always tried to play a very vocal and active role in considering what is right and wrong. When he was enrolled in a madrasa as a child, he completed the memorization of 20 paras of the Quran. Similarly, seeing the kind of suppression the autocratic government was carrying out on the students and the public in this anti-discrimination movement on July 16, he decided to take to the streets himself. From the very next day, Shaheed Omar Faruk participated in every program, remaining fully active. He used to offer the five daily prayers regularly. Shaheed Omar Faruk was known as a religious, simple, and philanthropic person. He also had good relations with the local Alem-Ulama (religious scholars).
Shaheed Omar Faruk at a Glance
Shaheed's Full Name : Omar Faruk
Date of Birth : September 9, 2007
Profession or Designation : Coil Factory Worker
Father's Name : Md. Foyezullah
Father's Profession and Age : Security Guard, 60 years
Mother's Name : Hamida Begum
Mother's Profession and Age : Housewife, 37 years
Number of Family Members : 5
Family's Monthly Income : 15,000
Permanent Address : Hariganj, Union: Charbhuta, Upazila: Lalmohan, District: Bhola
Current Address : House/Mohalla: Rayarbagh Double Mosque, Thana: Jatrabari
District: Dhaka
Regarding Assistance to the Family
Proposal 1: To ensure the family's continued financial support, a job can be arranged for the Shaheed's elder brother.
Proposal 2: A road needs to be built in the Shaheed's village home. There is government-allocated Khas land.
Proposal 3: Regular monthly financial assistance can be provided.