Farhad Hossain

On the day of the incident, he said to me in the morning,
'Brother, let's go and be martyred.'
Martyr Introduction Martyr Farhad Hossain-24 is a young life lost in the war of independence. Only 22 years of short life but what a great sacrifice for the country! Martyr Farhad Hossain was born on 1 January 2002. Farhad's birthday is on the first day of the year. Farhad's birthplace is Raynagar village, Sreepur police station, Nakul Union, Magura district of Khulna division. Martyr Farhad is the pride of the people of Magura today, not only the pride of the people of Magura but also the pride of the people of the country.
Family Life
Martyr Farhad’s father, Mr. Md. Golam Mostofa (58), was a bus driver, earning a modest monthly income of 30,000 BDT. Despite coming from such an ordinary background, Farhad became extraordinary, setting himself apart from many others. But was it just Farhad? His siblings' educational achievements were also remarkable. Farhad had two brothers and two sisters. His eldest sister, Rokeya Begum (28), was married. His younger sister, Mst. Rikta Khatun (25), had completed her postgraduate studies and was awaiting a job opportunity. His younger brother, Md. Golam Kibria (23), was studying at Dhaka University. Meanwhile, Farhad was a second-year undergraduate student in the History Department of Chittagong University.
For a father to educate three of his children at prestigious universities on a driver's limited salary was no small feat. Golam Mostofa was truly a proud father—and now, he was the father of a martyr. Farhad gave his father the greatest honor a son could.
Personal Life
From the small district of Magura, Farhad traveled far to Chittagong University to pursue higher education. He was enrolled in the 2021-22 session of the History Department. With eyes full of dreams, passion, and determination, he stepped onto the vast 2,300-acre campus of Chittagong University.
Did Farhad ever imagine that he wouldn’t even be able to complete his second year in his beloved History Department? Did his friends ever think that the quiet and well-mannered boy of their department would never sit with them in class again?
Farhad was the youngest child in his family. While parents love all their children, was he perhaps given a little extra affection as the youngest? But fate was cruel—the most beloved, youngest child was the first to leave this world, taken away by a brutal bullet.
Now, his family is left in grief and sorrow. His mother has lost her most precious treasure. A life cut short—just like the poem "Chhinna Mukul" by Satyendranath Dutta:
"The one who came last of all has left before everyone else. The smallest one, who was dearest, has left us all empty and helpless."
A Time of Turmoil
During those July days, universities across the country were in turmoil. Every campus echoed with protest chants. Among them, Chittagong University—one of the largest universities—was a focal point of resistance.
The government-controlled university administration failed to suppress the justified movement for quota reform, so they resorted to closing the university. Hostel gates were locked, and police and ruling party members raided even private dormitories. Many mess owners were forced to shut down their premises.
Perhaps Farhad had no choice but to leave Chittagong. Unable to participate in the movement at his university, he continued to actively protest in his hometown, Magura. At that time, the entire country was in a state of rebellion. The Hasina regime, desperate to crush the movement, shut down the internet nationwide in a covert killing mission to suppress the protests.
July 35, 2024 (August 4, 2024, on the calendar)
The "35th of July" was marked by a nationwide protest and mass gatherings demanding the fall of the dictatorship. The internet was either completely shut down or slowed to a crawl. Bullets were fired in Dhaka, Comilla, and Khulna. At Dhaka University, a funeral march carried the bodies of the fallen. On the ground, police, RAB, BGB, Ansar, and the army, along with ruling party militias like the Chhatra League and Jubo League, were on the offensive.
The slogan for August 4 was: "Prepare bamboo sticks, Free Bangladesh!"
On July 35, Farhad, who had been actively involved in protests in Magura, joined the protest rally and mass gathering. The distance from Raynagar (Shreepur) to Magura town was about 15 km. On that day, Farhad and six others traveled on an auto-rickshaw, overcoming multiple obstacles to reach Parnanduali around 11 AM.
His fellow protesters later recalled that even after witnessing the battlefield-like scene, Farhad showed no fear. Instead, he stood at the frontline.
At 12:30 PM, the police withdrew, but soon after, armed terrorists from the ruling party attacked the protest. A bullet from the opposite side struck Farhad’s head. He was immediately transported to the hospital on a Nasimon (a small transport vehicle). But upon examination, doctors declared him dead.
History was written that day. Martyr Farhad of '24 became immortal.
His Final Words
On the morning of his death, Farhad had discussed the movement's strategy with his family.
His elder brother, Golam Kibria, later told the national newspaper Prothom Alo: "Even though he was the youngest, he was very mature. He joined the movement while still at university. He believed it was his moral duty to fight against discrimination. No one could stop him. That morning, he told me—'Brother, let’s go and become martyrs.'"
The Void Left Behind
On August 5 (36th of July), the dictatorship fell. Killer Hasina fled, but before she did, she took hundreds of young lives.
The soil of Bangladesh was drenched in the blood of martyrs like Farhad—patriotic, strong-willed youths who sacrificed their lives for the nation’s second liberation.
Farhad, the humble, prayerful, well-loved student who spent his days in the university library, seemed as though he had prepared himself for martyrdom on August 4.
He wanted martyrdom. At that moment, he had only one thought in his heart: "Freedom for my homeland or death!"
Martyr Farhad Hossain: A Brief Profile
Name: Md. Farhad Hossain
Occupation: Student, Chittagong University, History Department, Second Year
Date of Birth & Age: 01-01-2002 (22 years)
Date of Martyrdom: 05-08-2024, 2:00 PM
Place of Martyrdom: Wabda Bridge, Dhaka-Magura Road, Magura
Burial: Raynagar Graveyard
Permanent Address: Village: Raynagar, Nakol, Shreepur, Magura
Father: Golam Mostofa, Occupation: Driver, Age: 58
Mother: Shirina Begum, Occupation: Homemaker, Age: 55
House & Property Status: Ancestral home and a small piece of agricultural land
Siblings' Information
1. Rokeya Begum (Sister), Age: 28, Married
2. Rikta Khatun (Sister), Age: 25, Master's Graduate, Unemployed
3. Golam Kibria (Brother), Age: 23, Master's Student at Dhaka University, Unemployed
Proposals
1. The martyr’s family could be provided with one-time financial assistance.
2. The martyr’s sister could be offered a job or employment opportunity.
3. The martyr’s brother could be offered a job or employment opportunity.