Sinthia, a 14-year-old ninth grader, still clings to the fading memories of her father, Md Jahangir Alam, who was tragically killed while standing for the cause of justice during the student-led mass uprising. His death on July 19, 2024, has left a deep, unhealable wound in her heart—a wound that grows sharper with every passing day.
Each morning, Sinthia wakes up to a silence that echoes louder than any words. The absence of her father is a constant reminder of the brutality he suffered at the hands of law enforcement agents. Jahangir, a 48-year-old vegetable vendor, was shot dead while on his way to bring spinach from Kazlar Bridge in Jatrabari—just 200-300 meters from his home. The police allegedly fired the fatal shot, piercing his chest and ending his life, forever altering the course of his family’s fate.
“I can never forget my father. When I see other children with their fathers, it breaks my heart. I wish I could call him 'baba' just one more time,” Sinthia sobs, her young voice trembling with grief. Her father, who would lovingly give her money for Tiffin and send her off to school with a smile, is now a memory she can never touch again.
For Sinthia, the loss is unbearable. As the youngest daughter of Jahangir, the future now seems uncertain. Her older sister, Mithila, is married, and her mother, Taslima Begum, struggles with illness, making it impossible to support Sinthia’s education. “How will I continue my studies? Who will help me?” Sinthia asks, her voice quivering, the weight of the world resting on her fragile shoulders.
Taslima, now widowed at 39, reflects on her husband's sacrifices. “He worked so hard for us. He was kind and dedicated,” she says, her voice thick with grief. She recalls the moment she learned of Jahangir’s death. “Around 4:30 pm, they shot him. When we rushed to the hospital, the doctors declared him dead.” Jahangir’s body was brought home that night and laid to rest at Kajlarpar Graveyard, marking the tragic end to his life of hard work and love for his family.
The heartbreaking reality of Jahangir’s death came during the student-people uprising that successfully overthrew a 16-year-long fascist regime. Law enforcement, in a bid to suppress the movement, fired live ammunition, causing countless lives to be lost, including Jahangir’s. Eyewitnesses claim the police even attempted to hide the full extent of the violence, making bodies disappear to downplay the casualties.
Now, Taslima is left to navigate a future overshadowed by hardship and uncertainty. Without Jahangir’s support, she feels lost. “We are in such a dire situation. I don’t know how we will survive,” she says, her voice breaking as she tries to stay strong for Sinthia. Taslima’s health has also worsened since her husband's death, leaving her unable to work and contribute to the household.
“My heart aches for my daughter,” she continues, tears welling up in her eyes. “I don’t know how I will give her a future. I am praying for help.”
Sinthia, too, pleads for the government to support families like hers. “The government should help us. My father gave his life for a better future. I want justice for him,” she says. “The people who killed my father should face capital punishment.”
In the face of profound loss, Sinthia remains resolute. “I want to study. I want to help my mother,” she says, her voice filled with determination despite the overwhelming obstacles before her. But without financial aid, she fears that her dreams, like the memory of her father, will be lost forever.
As the family struggles to rebuild their shattered lives, the haunting memories of Jahangir's sacrifice linger, a painful reminder of the price paid in the fight for justice and freedom.
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Sinthia, a 14-year-old ninth grader, still clings to the fading memories of her father, Md Jahangir Alam, who was tragically killed while standing for the cause of justice during the student-led mass uprising. His death on July 19, 2024, has left a deep, unhealable wound in her heart—a wound that grows sharper with every passing day.
Each morning, Sinthia wakes up to a silence that echoes louder than any words. The absence of her father is a constant reminder of the brutality he suffered at the hands of law enforcement agents. Jahangir, a 48-year-old vegetable vendor, was shot dead while on his way to bring spinach from Kazlar Bridge in Jatrabari—just 200-300 meters from his home. The police allegedly fired the fatal shot, piercing his chest and ending his life, forever altering the course of his family’s fate.
“I can never forget my father. When I see other children with their fathers, it breaks my heart. I wish I could call him 'baba' just one more time,” Sinthia sobs, her young voice trembling with grief. Her father, who would lovingly give her money for Tiffin and send her off to school with a smile, is now a memory she can never touch again.
For Sinthia, the loss is unbearable. As the youngest daughter of Jahangir, the future now seems uncertain. Her older sister, Mithila, is married, and her mother, Taslima Begum, struggles with illness, making it impossible to support Sinthia’s education. “How will I continue my studies? Who will help me?” Sinthia asks, her voice quivering, the weight of the world resting on her fragile shoulders.
Taslima, now widowed at 39, reflects on her husband's sacrifices. “He worked so hard for us. He was kind and dedicated,” she says, her voice thick with grief. She recalls the moment she learned of Jahangir’s death. “Around 4:30 pm, they shot him. When we rushed to the hospital, the doctors declared him dead.” Jahangir’s body was brought home that night and laid to rest at Kajlarpar Graveyard, marking the tragic end to his life of hard work and love for his family.
The heartbreaking reality of Jahangir’s death came during the student-people uprising that successfully overthrew a 16-year-long fascist regime. Law enforcement, in a bid to suppress the movement, fired live ammunition, causing countless lives to be lost, including Jahangir’s. Eyewitnesses claim the police even attempted to hide the full extent of the violence, making bodies disappear to downplay the casualties.
Now, Taslima is left to navigate a future overshadowed by hardship and uncertainty. Without Jahangir’s support, she feels lost. “We are in such a dire situation. I don’t know how we will survive,” she says, her voice breaking as she tries to stay strong for Sinthia. Taslima’s health has also worsened since her husband's death, leaving her unable to work and contribute to the household.
“My heart aches for my daughter,” she continues, tears welling up in her eyes. “I don’t know how I will give her a future. I am praying for help.”
Sinthia, too, pleads for the government to support families like hers. “The government should help us. My father gave his life for a better future. I want justice for him,” she says. “The people who killed my father should face capital punishment.”
In the face of profound loss, Sinthia remains resolute. “I want to study. I want to help my mother,” she says, her voice filled with determination despite the overwhelming obstacles before her. But without financial aid, she fears that her dreams, like the memory of her father, will be lost forever.
As the family struggles to rebuild their shattered lives, the haunting memories of Jahangir's sacrifice linger, a painful reminder of the price paid in the fight for justice and freedom.
Comments