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Abu Sayed (student activist)

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Abu Sayed
আবু সাঈদ
Abu Sayed in 2024 quota reform movement, holding Bangladeshi flag
Born1998/1999
Pirganj, Rajshahi, Bangladesh
Died16 July 2024(2024-07-16) (aged 24–25)
Rangpur City, Rangpur, Bangladesh
Cause of deathGunshot wounds [1]
Resting placePirganj, Rangpur, Bangladesh[2]
NationalityBangladeshi
EducationBegum Rokeya University, Rangpur
OccupationStudent
Known forCoordinator of Anti-discrimination Students Movement; among the first to die during the quota reform movement
MovementStudent–People's uprising
  • 2024 Bangladesh quota reform movement
Parent(s)Maqbul Hossain (father)
Monowara Begum (mother)

Abu Sayed (Bengali: আবু সাঈদ; 1998/1999 – 16 July 2024) was a Bangladeshi student activist who was shot dead by the Bangladesh Police on 16 July 2024,[3][4][5] while participating in the 2024 Bangladesh quota reform movement. Sayed was a student of Begum Rokeya University and was involved in the protest in front of the university when the police engaged in lathi charges and opened fire on the students.[6][7]

Early life

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Abu Sayed grew up in Babanpur village of Pirganj Upazila of Rangpur (then part of Rajshahi). His father is Maqbul Hossain and his mother is Monowara Begum. He was the youngest of a family of six brothers and three sisters.[8] He won a talent pool scholarship from the local Jafor Para Government Primary School in the fifth grade. Later, he passed SSC with a Golden GPA-5 from Khalashpir Bilateral High School.[citation needed] After completing SSC, he received a scholarship from the Babylon Group, called the Babylon Scholarship Program, to complete his college education. Then he passed HSC from Rangpur Government College with a GPA-5. Later, he was admitted to the English department at Begum Rokeya University.[9] He was a 12th batch student in English Department of Begum Rokeya University.[10]

Activism

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Abu Sayed was an activist of the quota reform movements of 2013 and 2018. After the new quota reform movement began on 6 June 2024, he became involved as the coordinator of the Anti-discrimination Students Movement at Rangpur Begum Rokeya University.

He published a Facebook post on 15 July 2024, referring to Mohammad Shamsuzzoha, a martyr in the 1969 East Pakistan mass uprising:

Sir! We need you desperately at this moment, sir! All your contemporaries have passed away. Yet you remain immortal even in death. Your grave is an inspiration to us. We are invigorated in your spirit

You, too, will eventually succumb to death, according to the laws of nature. But as long as you live, live with a backbone. Support just demands, take to the streets, and stand as a shield for the students. You will receive genuine honor and respect. You will not fade into the annals of time upon your death. You will live forever as a Shamsuzzoha. Dying as a 'Shamsuzzoha' is far more joyous, honorable, and glorious.[11][12]

Death and legacy

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Further information: July massacre
External videos
Video of Sayed being shot by police via YouTube channel of Jamuna Television
YouTube logo
video icon রংপুরে সংঘর্ষের মাঝে গুলিতে নিহত শিক্ষার্থী আবু সাঈদ (Student Abu Sayed shot dead by bullets during the clash in Rangpur)

On 16 July, between 2:30 and 3:00 pm, quota reform protesters and police clashed in front of Begum Rokeya University. Police fired tear gas and baton-charged to disperse protesting students. Most of the students left while Abu Sayed remained. The police were firing rubber bullets from the opposite direction. Abu Sayed was subsequently shot four times by a police officer.[13] He died before being taken to hospital.[14][15][16]

Later on 28 October 2024, The Begum Rokeya University authorities temporarily suspended two teachers and seven staff members in connection with their involvement in the killing of Sayed.[17]

Poet Shahidullah Faraji honored Abu Sayed by composing the poem বীর আবু সাঈদ (lit. 'Valiant Abu Sayed'), in which he hailed Sayed as the "hero of the generation."[18] In tribute to his legacy, Rangpur Park intersection was renamed "Shaheed Abu Sayed Chatwar" by students in his honor.[a]

A graffiti of Sayed stretching his chest, Chattogram
"Martyr Abu Sayed Gate", Jamuna Future Park

On August 7, 2024, Shafiqur Rahman, Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, visited Sayed's grave in Rangpur to pay his respects.[24] Following the exile of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the dissolution of her cabinet amid national uprising, interim Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus expressed that Sayed’s memory remained "in every person's heart in Bangladesh." Yunus also paid his respects at Sayed’s grave on August 10.[25] The Chairman of the National Board of Revenue, Md Abdur Rahman Khan, went on to refer to Abu Sayed as “Bir Sreshtho” during a discussion at the NBR’s Multipurpose Hall in Dhaka.[26]

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  • Death certificate of Sayed
    Death certificate of Sayed
  • A painting of Sayed being shot
    A painting of Sayed being shot
  • A graffiti of Sayed
    A graffiti of Sayed
  • A graffiti of Sayed's dying posture
    A graffiti of Sayed's dying posture

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ [19][20][21][22][23]

References

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  1. ^ "Student in Rangpur killed during clash between police and protesters". The Daily Star (Bangladesh). 16 July 2024. Archived from the original on 16 July 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  2. ^ Abbas, Md; Karmaker, Kongkon (17 July 2024). "Bullets end life of family's brightest star". The Daily Star (Bangladesh). Archived from the original on 17 July 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  3. ^ "How Abu Sayed was shot and killed in Rangpur during clash between police and protesters". The Business Standard. 17 July 2024. Archived from the original on 17 July 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  4. ^ Islam, Shariful; Alamgir, Mohiuddin (27 July 2024). "Abu Sayed's death in police firing: Cops' FIR runs counter to known facts". The Daily Star (Bangladesh). Archived from the original on 27 July 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  5. ^ "রংপুরে শিক্ষার্থী আবু সাঈদকে লক্ষ্য করে পুলিশের গুলি, ঠিক কী ঘটেছিল?". BBC Bangla (in Bengali). 17 July 2024. Archived from the original on 28 July 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  6. ^ "Student in Rangpur killed during clash between police and protesters". The Business Standard. 16 July 2024. Archived from the original on 17 July 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  7. ^ "Student killed in clash between police and quota protesters in Rangpur". bdnews24.com. Archived from the original on 16 July 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  8. ^ সংবাদদাতা, নিজস্ব; দিনাজপুর (16 July 2024). "আদরের ছোট ছেলে সাঈদের মৃত্যুতে পাগলপ্রায় মা, বারবার মূর্ছা যাচ্ছেন". The Daily Star Bangla (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 28 July 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  9. ^ "Bangladesh shuts down educational institutions after 6 students killed, dozens injured in protests". Archived from the original on 28 July 2024. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  10. ^ "বেরোবি শিক্ষার্থী আবু সাঈদের দাফন সম্পন্ন, জানাজায় মানুষের ঢল". banglanews24.com (in Bengali). 17 July 2024. Archived from the original on 17 July 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  11. ^ "'যতদিন বেঁচে আছেন মেরুদণ্ড নিয়ে বাঁচুন' মৃত্যুর আগে আবু সাইদের বার্তা". Daily Jugantor. 17 July 2024.
  12. ^ "কোটা সংস্কার আন্দোলনঃ পুলিশের গুলিতে নিহত সাঈদের শেষ পোস্ট, 'শামসুজ্জোহা' হয়ে মরে যাওয়াটা বেশি গর্বের". 16 July 2024. Archived from the original on 17 July 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  13. ^ "Why was Abu Sayed shot dead in cold blood?". The Daily Star (Bangladesh). 18 July 2024. Archived from the original on 26 July 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  14. ^ "রংপুরে যেভাবে গুলিবিদ্ধ হলেন আন্দোলনকারী আবু সাঈদ". Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 16 July 2024. Archived from the original on 16 July 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  15. ^ "স্যার! এই মুহূর্তে আপনাকে ভীষণ দরকার, স্যার!". Prothom Alo. 17 July 2024. Archived from the original on 17 July 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  16. ^ "BRUR student Abu Sayed laid to eternal rest". July 2024. Archived from the original on 18 July 2024. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  17. ^ "Two teachers, 7 staff of BRU suspended over Abu Sayeed killing". The Daily Observer. 28 October 2024. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  18. ^ Faraji, Shahidullah (1 July 2024). "বীর আবু সাঈদ". M Zamin (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 17 July 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  19. ^ "রংপুর পার্ক মোড়ের নাম ‌'শহীদ আবু সাঈদ চত্বর' দিলেন শিক্ষার্থীরা". Archived from the original on 28 July 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  20. ^ "রংপুর পার্ক জংশনের নাম দিয়েছে শিক্ষার্থীরা 'আবু সাঈদ চাতওয়ার'". Somoyn (in Bengali). 17 July 2024.
  21. ^ "Student killed in clash with police in Rangpur". Daily Sun. July 2024. Archived from the original on 17 July 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  22. ^ "Rokeya University student killed in Rangpur clash". Prothom Alo. 16 July 2024. Archived from the original on 17 July 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  23. ^ "6 killed in Dhaka, CTG, Rangpur as quota protesters, police, BCL activists clash". The Business Standard. 17 July 2024. Archived from the original on 17 July 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  24. ^ "Jamaat chief visits grave of Abu Sayed". Dhaka Tribune. 7 August 2024. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  25. ^ "Chief Adviser Yunus visits Sayed's Rangpur home, condoles family members". Dhaka Tribune. 10 August 2024. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
  26. ^ "NBR Chairman refers to Abu Sayed as 'Bir Sreshtho'". Daily Sun. 14 September 2024. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
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