On 3 August, the movement in Kushtia escalated into a massive uprising, with police using batons, tear gas canisters, and gunshots to suppress the protesting students. People from all walks of life joined the movement.
The situation persisted until 4 August, while students and ordinary people took to the streets to defy the curfew on 5 August.
Police fired indiscriminate shots throughout the city, with 15-year-old Abdullah, a poor tea seller, becoming the first martyr before the Kushtia Sadar police station.
Abdullah, son of Lokman Hossain, a resident of Char Thanapara slum, died in a police firing when he came to his father's tea shop in front of the local fire station.
As the movement spread across the country around noon, thousands flocked to the Kushtia Sadar Model police station. As police fired ‘like rain’ on protesters, resulting in the deaths of Ashraful Islam, alias Ashraf, 30, a painter by profession, and Suruz Ali, 40, a shop worker.
Ashraf died in front of Ad-Din Hospital near the police station, while Suruz Ali died in front of the police station.
On that day, seven people were killed by police fire.
When enquired, the members of Bashundhara Shuvosangho heard about the misery of the families of the victims.
With this in mind, the members of the Bashundhara Shuvosangho Kushtia unit handed over a month’s supply of food aid to their loved ones.
The food assistance contained rice, pulse, oil, salt potato, onion, garlic, and green chilli.
Abdullah’s father Lokman Hossain, Ashraful Islam Ashraf’s wife Laboni Akter Iti, and gold shop worker Suruz Ali’s mother Rokhsana Khatun and wife Fahima Akter heaved a sigh of relief after receiving the aid.
Abdullah was the only son of tea seller Lokman. He helped his father sell tea. The grieving Lokman still sells tea. Painter Ashraf’s wife Laboni is worried about her two sons.
Expressing concern about the future of her two children, Rifat, 10, and Urmi, 7, Fahima, wife of shop worker Suruz Ali, the family’s sole breadwinner, asks who will take care of them now?
Bashundhara Shuvosangho members assured families that they would remain with them, stating that Bashundhara Group would always stand by them.
BDST: 1212 HRS, SEPT 14, 2024
