Md. Saju Islam (Shaon)

"Saju Never Got the Chance to See His Child's Face"
Saju Islam was one of the brave warriors of the anti-dictatorship movement. He was born on December 13, 1998, in a poor family in Tokra Para Sardar Para village, under Chilahati Union, Sadar Thana, Panchagarh District.
His father, Azahar Ali (55), was a rickshaw puller, and his mother, Ms. Samina Akter (42), was a homemaker. Saju was the light of their home and the eldest of two brothers. Despite financial struggles, Azahar tried his best to educate his beloved son. He worked tirelessly, pulling a rickshaw all day to fulfill his son's wishes and cover household expenses.
Saju completed his schooling and later passed his Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) from Dawalganj Government College in Debiganj. However, witnessing his father’s hardships in old age, he decided to quit his studies and started looking for a job. After many attempts, he secured a job as a general worker at Asia Composite Ltd. in Gazipur.
With his earnings, the first thing Saju did was demolish their old tin-roofed house and build a semi-brick house, as rainwater used to leak through the tin, making the house uninhabitable. Alongside, he took care of his parents and funded his younger brother’s education.
In 2023, he got married through family arrangements. Due to his job, he lived in a rented house in Maona, Gazipur. When the anti-discrimination student movement began, Saju actively participated at various times. After the three-day curfew ended, he returned to his workplace in Gazipur. Just four days after reaching Gazipur, his wife gave birth to a son. Saju became a father only 26 days before his death. He named his son after Abu Sayeed, the first martyr of the anti-discrimination student movement.
Incident of Martyrdom
After the Awami government came to power in 2008, they introduced various quota systems for their benefit. These included quotas for freedom fighters’ descendants, women, employees’ children, indigenous communities, and more—accounting for nearly 70% of government jobs. This left little room for merit-based candidates.
In 2018, facing a massive student movement, the dictatorial Hasina government abolished all quotas abruptly, without proper evaluation. However, in 2022, after rigging elections to retain power, the government reinstated the previous quota system, once again suppressing merit-based candidates.
In response, on July 5, 2024, students began peaceful protests demanding a fair reform of the quota system. But the fascist government ignored them, fueling the movement further. On August 15, when a journalist questioned Hasina, she mockingly replied, "If we don’t give jobs to the grandchildren of freedom fighters, should we give them to the grandchildren of war criminals?"
This enraged students across Bangladesh, leading to a spontaneous protest march at 11 PM that night. They chanted slogans like:
"Who are you? Who am I? Razakar! Razakar!" (collaborators)
"Who said it? Who said it? Dictator! Dictator!"
Hasina, in fury, unleashed violent attacks on students the next day. Streets turned red with the blood of young protesters as her student wing, Chhatra League, brutally assaulted them. However, instead of retreating, students fought back, forcing Chhatra League members to flee. In retaliation, the government deployed police and paramilitary forces (BGB) to initiate a mass crackdown.
As the situation worsened, people from all walks of life joined the movement. The government then imposed a curfew. Before this, Saju had arranged for his pregnant wife’s cesarean delivery and left her at home. After the curfew ended, he returned to his workplace in Gazipur. Just four days later, his wife gave birth to a son. Overjoyed, Saju longed to see his newborn, but due to the deteriorating political situation, he couldn’t visit home.
Seeing the relentless oppression of students, he could no longer stay away. Ignoring all attachments and responsibilities, he joined the protests on August 5. Before heading to the protest, he spoke to his school friend Swapan over the phone. Swapan repeatedly urged him not to go, saying:
"We are poor people. If we join the movement, who will take care of our families?"
Saju did not answer the question but simply said,
"I was once a student too. I must stand by them in these dark times."
Saying this, he hurriedly left to join the movement in Maona, Gazipur.
Final Moments
During the protest, the police and paramilitary forces began shooting indiscriminately. Instead of retreating, people marched forward, chanting slogans. Amid the chaos, a bullet fired by police struck Saju’s chest. He collapsed, clutching his chest. The police and BGB fired continuously like a rainstorm, preventing anyone from rescuing him. For an entire hour, Saju lay on the road, bleeding. Eventually, some local workers and factory employees managed to carry him to Mymensingh Medical College.
Upon arrival at the hospital, he was still alive and spoke to his parents using a friend's phone. Doctors decided to operate on him at midnight, requiring eight bags of blood. With great effort, the doctors successfully removed the bullet from his abdomen. After surgery, he was shifted to a regular ward.
The next morning, on August 6, his parents arrived at the hospital and spoke to him. That afternoon, his mother fed him orange juice. However, Saju’s stomach began swelling rapidly. Concerned, doctors performed a stomach wash and later gave him coconut water at night. Again, his stomach swelled dangerously.
Seeing his worsening condition, doctors decided to move him to the ICU at midnight. Saju remained in the ICU for five days, but his condition deteriorated. On August 12, at exactly midnight, he breathed his last. He never got the chance to see his 26-day-old son. He never heard the sweet word “Baba” from his child.
Family’s Situation
When the news of Saju’s death reached home, his wife screamed in agony and eventually fainted. His helpless parents could do nothing but mourn, holding their heads in despair. His younger brother also broke down in tears.
As the mosque announced his death over the loudspeakers, his childhood friend Swapan, neighbors, relatives, and villagers rushed to his home. The entire village wept. Even the air around them seemed to grieve, as if the birds and animals were mourning along with them.
"What will happen to Abu Sayeed now?"—everyone wondered.
Saju was later bathed and laid to rest in his family’s burial ground.
Proposed Assistance for the Family
Saju’s family is now left helpless. The only earning member is his elderly father, who is struggling to provide for Saju’s widow and orphaned son. The family urgently needs financial aid.
Recommendations:
1. A large financial grant should be provided to Saju’s family.
2. His father should be given an auto-rickshaw to earn a living.
3. Long-term support for Saju’s orphaned child should be ensured.
4. His widow should receive financial aid for survival.
Saju sacrificed his life for justice, but his family now suffers in deep distress. They need urgent help to survive.
Personal Information of the Martyr at a Glance
Name: Md. Saju Islam (Shaon)
Date of Birth: December 13, 1998
Father's Name: Azahar Ali
Mother's Name: Mosammat Samina Akter
Family Members:
o Younger Brother: Md. Samiul Islam, 7th-grade student
o Younger Brother
o Widow Wife
o Orphaned Son: Abu Sayeed (26 days old)
• Permanent and Current Address:
o Village: Tokra Para Sardar Para
o Union: Chilahati
o Thana: Sadar
o District: Panchagarh
• Perpetrators:
o Petuya Police League and BGB
• Incident Location:
o August 5, near the factory in Gazipur Maona Para, around 12 PM
• Place and Time of Death:
o Mymensingh Medical College Hospital (ICU)
o August 12, at 12 AM
This information provides a brief overview of the martyr's personal details, including family background, address, and circumstances surrounding the incident.