Md. Forid Ahmmad Sayal

An Unfinished Story of a Laborer
Martyr Md. Forid Ahmmad Sayal
Serial No.: 802
ID: Chattogram Division: 118
Birth and Upbringing
A Lamp of Hope Born in the Darkness of Poverty
Md. Forid Ahmmad Sayal was born on October 16, 2004, in the village of Brahman Sakhuya in Chandpur district. His father’s name was Md. Shah Alam Soial Sayal and his mother’s name was Hawa Begum. The family had no ancestral property or any permanent assets. After several rounds of river erosion, they lost their homes and land, and eventually fell into the deepest abyss of poverty. In the fight for survival, both parents moved to Dhaka city to work hard and earn a livelihood.
Farid was naturally very intelligent and responsible from an early age. After completing primary education, he could not continue schooling due to poverty. Instead of schoolbooks and pens, he took up the burden of supporting his family. As a teenager, he began working alongside his father. His wishes were simple—not for himself, but for his parents’ well-being: a refrigerator in the home, a small plot of land where they could live in peace. He used to tell his mother, “Just endure a little longer, Ma. I will take care of you.” Driven by this dream, in July 2024 he secured a job at Abir Fashion, a garment factory, earning a monthly salary of 25,000 taka. He said he would buy nice clothes for his parents with his first salary. But cruel fate did not allow his dreams to come true. With his earnings, he ended up buying the clothes of death—a white shroud.
On the Day of the Movement: A Dream Cut Down by a Bullet
August 5, 2024. The morning was like any other, but the air felt different. The previous night, Farid had stood on the balcony with friends and said, “Tomorrow the garment factories will be closed. Let’s join the movement. We can’t keep quiet anymore.” His words reflected his growing political awareness, courage, and a desire for social change. Though he could not always join due to work and family needs, whenever there was a factory holiday, he would rush to the streets without hesitation to stand beside his comrades.
That morning, after waking, eating, and getting ready, he received a call from a friend: “Come, there will be a big rally today at Jatrabari Mor.” Without delay, filled with courage and the hope of revolution, he left the rented room in Fatulla, Narayanganj. Soon he became part of a huge procession that had started from the Signboard area in Dhaka, heading towards Ganobhaban (the Prime Minister’s office).
At around 11:30 a.m., as the rally reached in front of Jatrabari police station, suddenly the sky shook with gunfire. Without any prior warning, police opened direct fire on the protesters. Panic spread as the crowd scattered. Suddenly, Farid felt excruciating pain in his neck. A bullet entered his neck and exited from the back.
He collapsed to the ground, clutching his neck with one hand, blood flowing from his mouth, eyes filled with fear and disbelief—how could anyone be killed like this? Fellow protesters rushed to help him. One young man cried out, “Brother, are you hurt? Brother, are you hurt?” Farid’s lips moved but no sound came out. He was rushed first by rickshaw, then by ambulance, to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Around him were only blood, tears, and pain. After 24 hours of a fierce struggle between life and death, on the night of August 6 at 8:50 p.m., Forid Ahmmad Sayal left this world.
News of his death spread instantly—from Narayanganj to Chandpur, among comrades, family, and coworkers, the only name whispered was “Farid Bhai is no more!” A garment worker who may not have known political jargon but felt the pain of the people with his heart, who protested injustice from his limited means, was shot dead. He became a martyr, his blood staining the path of the second liberation struggle painted red and green. Later, his mother said, “If he were not gone, I would not have realized how deep the poverty is. Now, not only is my son gone, but there is nothing left but his grave.” The family’s hope was shattered; the light of a household was extinguished.
Farid’s dreams had been very simple—a small home, comfort for his parents, new clothes, and a safer life. Not only did his family lose him, but the entire movement lost a devoted fighter who struggled till his last breath for justice.
Family’s Hardship and Devastation: Dreams Shattered Bit by Bit
How cruel it is to uproot a family’s foundation is painfully exemplified by Farid Ahmad Soial’s family. Once they had a home, a courtyard, bamboo fences, earthen floors, and a clay stove. But the river devoured everything. Several rounds of river erosion robbed them of their land and home. The river did not just wash away soil; it shattered their life’s core and the framework of their dreams.
Crushed by poverty and homelessness, the family was forced to migrate to the city. They came to Dhaka streets, with no roof over their heads, burdened with debt and an uncertain future. Somehow, they rented a room in Fatulla, Narayanganj. Tied to the struggle for livelihood, both entered the garment worker’s life. His mother, Hawa Begum, worked bent over sewing machines from morning till night; his father, Shah Alam, labored in the packing unit. There were no holidays, no festivals—only the fight to survive.
In the midst of this hardship, a little light appeared in the form of Farid. From a young age, he understood the harsh realities of life. Putting aside his own dreams, he decided to save his family. He left studies and took up work. After long toil, in July 2024 he got the job at Abir Fashion, earning 25,000 taka monthly. This job was a turning point for the family. His mother proudly said, “Maybe now we can live a little.” Farid reassured her, “Ma, I bought a fridge on installments. You won’t have to suffer anymore. I’m here; everything will be fine.”
It was a story of hope born from poverty. But that hope abruptly ended with a bullet. The boy who was about to give his mother a promise of peace returned bloodied, wrapped in a shroud at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Farid is no more. His voice speaking of dreams is silent; the smile of buying a fridge for his mother has vanished. The installment payments are still due, but no one remains to use the fridge. It now sits quietly in a corner, cold and full of memories.
An elder brother exists, but he has no job and spends his days in despair. No one else in the family has a stable income source. Without Farid, the household has returned to that old darkness where even a daily meal is a challenge. Now they live as beggars for shelter, dependent on the sympathy of relatives and neighbors.
This family is not only impoverished; they are broken inside. The one child who dreamed of giving them a ‘home’ had to be buried without justice or reason. Only one sentence of Farid echoes in their eyes: “We will have a home, Ma.” That home now exists only in memories.
Family’s Feelings About the Martyr
“This boy was our beacon of hope,” said Farid’s mother, Hawa Begum, weeping. “He was different from everyone else. First in work, cooking, and wisdom. He used to say, ‘Ma, the days of poverty will soon end.’ He bought a fridge on installments, and just a few days ago said, ‘Ma, I will buy you a dress before Eid.’ But that dress was never bought. Instead, we had to buy a shroud.”
These words express not only a mother’s grief but the lament of a society without dreams. Farid was a future potential who wanted to support his family through his garment job. But that dream was extinguished by state violence.
Proposals for the Martyr’s Family
1. Build a house for the family. Martyr Farid Ahmad family has no permanent home due to river erosion. A permanent house could be their only way to fulfill their dreams.
2. Provide employment opportunities for the elder brother. After Farid’s death, the elder brother must now support the family. Sustainable employment for him can help the family recover.
Martyr’s Profile at a Glance
• Full Name: Forid Ahmmad Sayal
• Date of Birth: 16 October 2004
• Place of Birth: Chandpur
• Occupation: Garment Worker
• Workplace: Abir Fashion
• Permanent Address: Village: Brahman Sakhuya, Union: Bagadi, Thana: Chandpur Sadar, District: Chandpur
• Current Address: Block C, Lane No. 4, Fatulla Stadium Road, Union: Kutubpur, Thana: Fatulla, District: Narayanganj
• Father’s Name: Shah Alam Sayal
• Mother’s Name: Hawa Begum
• Family Members: 3 (Father, Mother, Brother)
• Place of Incident: In front of Jatrabari Police Station
• Attackers: Police
• Type of Attack: Gunshot to the neck
• Date Injured: 05/08/2024, 11:30 AM
• Date of Martyrdom: 06/08/2024, 8:50 PM