Yunus Ali Shawon

The verdant South Maguri village of Lakshmipur district. Here, simplicity is hidden in the gentle touch of nature, and in that simplicity grew Martyr Yunus Ali Shawon. On September 19, 2007, he was born into a poor farming family. His childhood was like a reflection of rural Bengal's tradition—on one hand, the simplicity of village life, and on the other, the pressure of poverty. Shawon's father, Abul Bashar, is an honest and hardworking farmer. Every day he fought with the crops in the field, as if he found the strength of life in the smell of the soil.
The martyr's mother, Kulsuma Begum, kept her children safe, placing her loving hand in every corner of the household. Like a housewife, she silently spent every day of her life in sacrifice and dedication. Born into this family, Shawon saw the blueprint of struggle from his childhood. But this struggle never broke him; rather, it became a source of strength. His childhood, surrounded by the green village, although bound by the shackles of poverty, was as deep and calm as the soil.
Working Life: Shaheed Yunus Ali Shawon, who was born in the darkness of poverty, never gave up. Every day of his life was a new chapter of struggle. Although he spent his childhood in a small village, economic hardship pushed him away from the pages of books. Taking the burden of the family on his shoulders, he entered the workforce at a young age. Deep in Shawon's heart was a dream—to bring a smile to his family's faces. Hoping for his parents' happiness and comfort, he left his childhood village and set foot on the stony path of the cruel city. Amidst the intense mechanical noise of a garment factory in Narayanganj, Shawon's life condensed into the blood of labor and sacrifice. After meeting his minimum needs with a small portion of his limited salary, he sent the rest to his beloved family.
His only wish was that every penny would bloom like a fountain of laughter on his mother's face, and the lines of worry on his father's forehead would be erased. But that city of dreams, where he had come in search of happiness, erased him in a cruel irony. When Shawon's heart, wandering from stone to stone in the unfamiliar city, was tired, death claimed him. The difficult path of the city, where he wanted to find a ray of hope, was where he became silent forever.
Feelings about the Martyr: Martyr Yunus Ali Shawon was a gentle, courageous, and selfless person. His demeanor was so beautiful and pure that it touched everyone's heart. His immense love for the country was evident in every word and deed. He believed that serving the country through one's duties and responsibilities was true love. Mohammad Belayet Hossain, Shawon's cousin, reminiscing about his memory in a deeply sorrowful tone, says, "Shawon never misbehaved with anyone. His behavior was gentle and respectful towards everyone." Shawon's behavior towards his neighbors was unparalleled, and his affection made him dear to everyone. Losing a brave, eloquent, and honest person like Shawon, not only his family but the entire society is today floating in a sea of grief. His love, honesty, and unpretentious lifestyle have remained permanently in everyone's hearts.
How I Lost My Brother: July 20, 2024, Saturday—a most barbaric day written in blood in the history of Bangladesh. That day was like the beginning of a terrible chapter against humanity, when the Awami autocratic government struck its rod of power against the students and people who had taken to the streets in the struggle for justice and rights. The attempt to silence the cries of the movement by shutting down the internet across the country was a cruel attempt to silence the voices of protest.
In the Shani Akhra area of Dhaka, a strong dawn was awaited around noon. Crowds were gathering on the streets—ordinary people of the country had also taken to the streets, expressing solidarity with the students' movement. Their purpose was one—to break the chains of discrimination and autocracy and build a new Bangladesh. And in that struggle procession, Yunus Ali Shawon, a brave young man who risked his life for the establishment of the rights of the country and its people, joined with firm steps.
Suddenly, that peaceful environment of protest turned into a nightmare. The Hasina government's police force, joining hands with the terrorist Chhatra League, along with hundreds of thugs led by Ibrahim Faraji, president of the Jagannath University branch of the Chhatra League, and Akhtar, the secretary, opened direct fire on the protesters. They did not follow any rules or the slightest bit of humanity. Bullet after bullet was fired at the innocent students and people. Everything changed in an instant—cries and terror spread in the sky. The people's procession broke down in a stream of blood, and countless lives fell to the ground.
Yunus Ali Shawon was also hit by that cruel bullet. While his colleagues were desperately trying to take him to a local hospital, local Awami League leaders obstructed that humanitarian effort. But no obstacle could stop him. His self-sacrifice for the establishment of rights, descending into the ranks of the people's demands, was indomitable. Although the doctors at the local hospital gave him first aid, life could not be sustained in the turn of time. Yunus Ali Shawon closed his eyes at the last moment. But his heart was still singing the song of freedom, the promise of the realization of rights. He answered the call of Allah with a smile, and embraced martyrdom. The soil of Bangladesh, for which he had sacrificed everything, was reddened with his blood.
How is the Martyr's Family: After losing Martyr Yunus Ali Shawon, his family is now broken down in grief, as if the whole household is covered in emptiness. His mother's chest is filled only with the resonance of tears, and with every breath, only one name rises—Shawon. Kulsuma Begum, having lost her only son, seems to have lost all the colors of life. Remembering her son in every memory, her tears cannot be contained. Every day is spent in the lonely pain of a mother without a child. On the other hand, Shawon's father, Abul Bashar, who was an ordinary man in the village, feels helpless today. Only one question arises in his heart again and again—what was his son's crime? Being a worker in a small shop, what such wrong did he do that the Awami League government could not tolerate him? The answer to this question is still unknown, but the burden of grief has humbled him.
Among three brothers and one sister, Yunus Ali Shawon was the youngest. Being the youngest, he was everyone's darling in the family. Although Shawon grew up in the love and affection of his siblings, the lamp of his life was extinguished prematurely. That dear brother is no more today, but his memories seem to live on in every corner of the house. Today there is only emptiness and the burden of memories in the family.
Personal Information of the Shaheed at a Glance
Name: Yunus Ali Shawon, Shop Worker
Date of Birth and Age: 19-09-2007, 16 years
Profession: Shop Worker
Address: Village: Dakshin Maguri, Union: 9 No. Uttar Joypur, Thana-Chandraganj, District-Lakshmipur
Father: Abul Bashar, Farmer
Mother: Kulsum Begum, Housewife
Number of Family Members: 05
Omar Faruk, Age-36, Job, Hamdard Factory, Meghna, Comilla, Relationship: Brother
Kamrul Hossain, Age-32, Intellectually Disabled, Relationship: Brother
Shiuli Akter, Age-38, Housewife, Relationship: Sister
Date of Injury and Martyrdom: July 20, 2024
Place of Martyrdom: Shani Akhra
Assailant: Terrorist Chhatra League and Awami Police Force
Buried: His own village, Dakshin Maguri, Uttar Joypur, Chandraganj, Lakshmipur
Grave's GPS Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/9Xc8HxErCfdpcHrBV6
Proposals
1. Housing is needed. A good source of income is needed for his father.