Md. Shahjahan Mia

Not Even a Humble Street Vendor Was Spared
The Notorious Terror of Killer Hasina’s Chhatra League and Jubo League Forces
Shahjahan had no time to worry about whether government jobs would have quotas or not. His daily concern was simply which work would earn him a few extra taka. His mother’s advice to him was, “Son, since you are in such hardship, why be ashamed?” – meaning that no work should be considered lowly or a source of embarrassment; one must do whatever is necessary to survive. It was by following this counsel of his mother that Shahjahan, who ultimately sacrificed his life for the country, lived his life.
He was born in 1999 and grew up in the Postgola area of Mirerbag, Keraniganj, Dhaka. Later, driven by the necessity of livelihood, he lived in a rented house in the Chan Mosque area of Kamrangirchar with his mother and wife. His father was the late Mohsin, and his mother’s name is Ayesha Begum. Among three brothers and one sister, Shahjahan was the third child. Though a street vendor by trade, he never neglected his family responsibilities. Each morning, he left home to earn a livelihood. His sole means of income was selling shoes on the ferry near Balaka Cinema Hall in New Market.
About three months ago, his wife was pregnant, but unfortunately, the unborn child did not survive. Due to this tragic loss, Shahjahan had to spend a significant amount on his wife’s medical treatment, which also compelled him to take loans. Because he was unable to repay these debts, he could not reopen his previous shop in New Market. For about a month, it can be said he was unemployed.
Account of Martyrdom
Shahjahan had left home to do electrical work in a building. His mother recounted, “He was skilled in electrical tasks as well as workshop jobs. One of his uncles arranged for him to join a building project in Dhanmondi. He left early Tuesday morning. His wife was preparing rice, but he didn’t eat. He had been working since morning. After lunch, everyone left to eat while he began walking home. He felt unwell. After that, we don’t know what happened. We went to the hospital and found our son’s lifeless body.”
Details of the Incident
On Tuesday, 17 July 2024, morning passed into afternoon. At 2 PM, students advocating for quota reform began a peaceful demonstration in the Science Lab area. To suppress the protest, suddenly leaders and activists of Chhatra League and Jubo League launched an unprovoked attack on the unsuspecting students, armed with various crude weapons. At this time, the terror squads loyal to the Petua Hasina positioned themselves in front of Dhaka College’s gate and indiscriminately opened fire from a distance. Many were wounded and collapsed onto the street. This attack on unarmed students and civilians, incited by the murderous Hasina, was an utterly heinous and despicable crime.
Eventually, the attackers advanced wielding machetes, sticks, and shotguns. Shahjahan, fearing for his life, tried to step aside from the road. The Petua group of Dhaka College then became even more aggressive. Desperately fleeing to save his life, Shahjahan took refuge alongside students in the lane near City College. Suddenly, several bullets struck his body. From afternoon to evening, the area resembled a battlefield. Shahjahan lay on the street, wounded and bleeding, for hours.
After a long time, a few teenagers risked the gunfire and rescued him from the street in front of City College, taking him to Popular Medical Hospital. By then, his condition was critical, barely breathing but with severe blood loss. Unable to control the bleeding, the hospital authorities called an ambulance to transfer him to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Upon arrival at Dhaka Medical College, the attending doctors declared him dead. Shahjahan’s body was identified at the morgue by his mother Ayesha Begum and his maternal uncle Moslem Uddin.
Family’s Grief
Moved by the anguish of the bereaved mother, Brigadier General Md. Asaduzzaman, Director of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, met with her. The grieving mother tearfully said, “Sir, my son had gone out to work to provide for his family. Who could have done this to him?”
Eyewitness Accounts Confirming the Martyrdom
Inspector Bachchu Mia of Dhaka Medical Police Outpost stated that around 7:30 PM, an ambulance driver brought Shahjahan’s body to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. There were visible injuries on his head. After examination, the doctors confirmed his death.
Ambulance driver Ali Mia reported that after receiving a call from Popular Diagnostic Center near City College, he went there. The staff at the center urged him to quickly take Shahjahan to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, which he did. Hriday, the customer care representative at Popular Diagnostic Center, said that a few young men brought Shahjahan to them in the evening in a critically injured state. After providing first aid, they called an ambulance to transfer him to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Media Coverage
Several media outlets have reported on the martyrdom of Shahjahan.
1. https://www.jugantor.com/capital/828876
2. https://www.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/capital/0j233xhxqg
3. https://dailyamadermatribhumi.com/article/78772
The Fascist Rule of the Murderous Hasina
Two months after coming to power on December 29, 2008, on February 25-26, 2009, Hasina’s regime unleashed a massacre at Pilkhana, looting thousands of firearms. Her forces brutally and mercilessly slaughtered countless soldiers. To suppress opposition parties and other political factions, they launched attacks and massacres on ordinary citizens, vandalized Hindu temples and places of worship of other communities, brutally murdered thousands, and raped countless women—thus creating an unspeakably cruel, bloody, and perilous dark chapter led by the fascist party’s cadres. The direct instigator behind these atrocities was the bloodthirsty dictator Hasina. During the Awami League’s tenure, this demonic Hasina and her forces staged orchestrated “terrorist” events across the country to instill fear among the public.
For the past sixteen years, anti-independence, anti-Bangladesh, ultra-religious communal, and notorious armed Awami terrorists, through domestic and foreign conspiracies, have cornered the common people of Bangladesh and forcibly held on to power. Driven solely by a violent ambition to seize state power, these conspirators have deliberately spread false accusations, fabricated rumors, and misinformation against the freedom-loving masses, thereby creating instability and chaos in the country. Furthermore, in 2024, by degrading law and order and creating disorder in public life, this fascist murderous Hasina government has systematically and indiscriminately killed gentle students and hundreds of ordinary citizens through planned violence.
In addition, they have perpetrated horrific arson attacks on the Metro Rail, Bangladesh Television, the Bridge Authority, Data Centers, and hospitals. They have vandalized the Ganobhaban, National Parliament, schools, colleges, factories, homes, and business establishments, looting and setting fire to them. In stark contrast, the previous government under Begum Khaleda Zia had arrested all identified terrorists and executed them by capital punishment, thus liberating the country.
The enemy of the nation, Hasina’s government, which opposes independence, Bangladesh, the great liberation of 1971, and the spirit of the Liberation War, has allied with the barbaric Indian military to carry out unpunished, horrific atrocities across Bangladesh—including destruction of homes and businesses—employing a scorched earth policy. Yet, the violent rampage of this barbaric group did not end there. Empowered by the cannibalistic demon Hasina, controversial Awami League thugs have attacked, vandalized, and set fire to the residences of venerable, people-oriented veteran leaders who are Indian opponents.
They even aimed to erase all symbols of the great Liberation War and independence by portraying the nation’s sole independence announcer, the late President Ziaur Rahman, as a villain before the people. Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia was evicted from her home amidst arson attacks that struck at the very history and existence of the Bengali nation’s birth.
Throughout the country, terrorist activities, attacks, arson, and indiscriminate mass killings have been carried out by the anti-Bangladesh, terrorist, extremist communal Indian-aligned government headed by the son of the Prime Minister, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, who has even sold the nation’s vital documents abroad.
(Source: Jugantor Newspaper, October 10, 2024)
The brutal oppression, torture, killings, rapes, limitless plunder of state resources, misuse of state organs, and horrific atrocities inflicted by the forcibly installed, vote-rigging murderous Hasina and her extremist terrorist cohorts have left deep scars on the nation. Consequently, the entire country has risen anew with determination during July-August 2024. As a result, Awami League cadres accepted defeat before the people and fled the country, barely saving their lives.
Today, a new horizon dawns for Bangladesh. We salute the sacrifices of those like martyr Shahjahan, whose selflessness and lives have earned the country a second independence. May Almighty Allah bestow upon these young Turks the honor of martyrdom. (Ameen)
Summary of Information Related to the Martyr
Name: Shahjahan Mia
Date of Birth: 1999
Age: 25
Occupation: Hawker (Sold footwear in the New Market area)
Permanent and Current Address: Postgola, Mirerbag, Keraniganj, Dhaka
Father: Late Mohsin
Mother: Ayesha Begum (Occupation: Homemaker)
Siblings: Three brothers and one sister
Time of Injury: July 17, 2024, approximately 4:00 PM
Place of Incident: Science Lab, City College Intersection, Dhaka
Attackers: Aggressive student league and youth league cadres
Hospitals Where Treatment Was Received:
1. Popular Diagnostic Center, Dhanmondi, Dhaka
2. Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH)
Date, Time, and Place of Martyrdom: July 17, 2024, 7:30 PM, Dhaka Medical College Hospital
Body Handed Over: July 17, 2024
Burial and Shroud: July 18, 2024
Recommendations:
1. Employment should be provided to the martyr’s widow.
2. The family requires monthly or one-time financial assistance.
3. If the martyr’s mother is gifted a permanent residence, she will be able to live her remaining life with dignity and comfort.