Md. Jahangir Alam

The attending doctor confirmed that
he died due to excessive bleeding from a
gunshot wound to the chest. Later, Shaheed Jahangir
Alam was buried at the Matuyail graveyard.

Despite coming from a lower middle-class household, Shaheed Md. Jahangir Alam (39), had a very good heart. He had a great deal of faith and a high morale. He was born on December 25, 1976, in the Kajlarpar neighborhood of Dania Union, Jatrabari Police Station, Dhaka, into a devout Muslim family. The late Gafur Kalu Mia was his father, and the late Selina Begum was his mother. At an early age, he lost both of his parents. Parvin Akhtar, the older sister, reared her younger brother. Together with his spouse, he is the father of two daughters. His two daughters, Synthia Begum (14), a Kajlapar High School eighth grader, and Mithila Khatun (20) are married. In his professional life, he is well known in the area as a vegetable seller. Everyone knew him well as a well-behaved and cheerful person.
How the Vegetable Vendor Became a Martyr
Shaheed Md. Jahangir Alam was a small trader by profession. He sold vegetables on the footpath and as a mobile vendor. Every day, he would buy vegetables from the wholesale market in Kajlarpar, which was his only source of income, and sell them on the streets. His daily earnings were the sole means of supporting his family. Even amidst the ongoing anti-discrimination student movement, he had to continue selling vegetables; otherwise, his family would not survive. From the beginning of July, the student movement gradually turned into a mass movement, reaching its peak after July 16. As a result, the safety of ordinary people across Dhaka and the entire country became increasingly threatened. Shaheed Md. Jahangir Alam himself became a direct witness to this situation.
As usual, Jahangir Alam left his home to sell vegetables on July 19, 2024, a Friday. After purchasing vegetables from the Kajlarpar wholesale market, he was returning home around 4:30 PM when he reached the Kajla Bridge area on Demra Road. Suddenly, he found himself amid a violent clash between the police and the protesters. The police were firing incessantly at the protesting students and the general public. Before he could comprehend what was happening, a bullet fired by the police of the tyrannical government pierced through his chest and exited through his back.
Hit by the bullet, he collapsed to the ground instantly and died on the spot. Initially, no one could identify he had succumbed to excessive bleeding from the gunshot wound to his chest. Later, he was buried in the Matuyail graveyard.
Memories from the Martyr’s Elder Sister
His elder sister, Parvin Akter, recalled, "Shaheed Md. Jahangir Alam was a simple and kind-hearted person. Even if someone scolded him, he would endure it silently and never utter a harsh word in return. He never got involved in any conflicts. He struggled to provide for his two daughters. When he was 14 years old, our mother passed away. After her death, I raised him. I worked in a mosquito net factory to ensure that he had food. I could never leave him alone because if he didn’t see me for a moment, he would call out ‘Apa, Apa’ and search for me everywhere. I demand justice for my brother’s murder.”
Overview of the Martyr’s Information
Name : Md. Jahangir Alam
Profession : Vegetable Vendor
Father : Late Gafur Kalu Mia
Mother : Late Selina
Date of Birth : December 25, 1976
Date & Place of Injury : July 19, 2024, near Kajla Bridge / Dhaleshwar vicinity, Jatrabari
Date & Place of Martyrdom : July 19, 2024, 4:30 PM, near Kajla Bridge
Permanent Address : Kajlapar, Union - Donia, Thana - Jatrabari, Dhaka
Elder Sister : Parvin Akter