Anguish endures in the martyr's family even after two years

Two years have passed by since the July Uprising. The pages of the calendar have turned, the government has changed, cases have been filed in court, and investigations are ongoing. Yet Farida Yasmin and Mosharaf Hossain remain trapped in those agonizing days. In the ears of one mother still echoes her son’s last reassurance: "Mother, I don't go to the protests." Another father consoles himself: "I was fortunate that my daughter took her final breath in my arms."

One family lost their son, Mahmudul Hasan Rizvi, while the other lost their daughter, Meherun Nesa Tanha. One was killed on the streets of Uttara on July 18, and the other was shot on August 5. Despite the difference in timing and events, both families remain bound by the same thread of grief, waiting, and the pain of unfulfilled justice.

A Family's Dreams Centered on Rizvi
Mahmudul Hasan Rizvi was born into an ordinary family in Noakhali. His father, Jamal Uddin, works at an NGO, and his mother, Farida Yasmin, is a homemaker. The eldest among two brothers and a sister, Rizvi carried the family's highest hopes. Financial hardship was a constant presence, but there was no shortage of dreams; his parents firmly believed their eldest son would one day take responsibility for the household.

After completing his eighth semester in the Electrical Department at Lakshmipur Polytechnic Institute, Rizvi moved to Dhaka for an internship. He also became involved with the Dhaka Metropolitan chapter of the Bangladesh Students' Union. His plan was straightforward: finish his internship, secure a job, and shoulder his family's responsibilities.

However, the July movement altered the course of his life. Following the death of Abu Sayeed by police gunfire in Rangpur, protests erupted across the country, prompting Rizvi to join the students in Uttara without informing his family.

Recalling her final conversations with her son during those volatile days, his mother, Farida Yasmin, said: "I used to call him and say, 'Son, stay safe.' He would tell me, 'Mother, I don't go to the protests.' Only later did I learn that he was going without our knowledge."

On July 18, Uttara became one of the central hubs of the uprising. The stretch of road from House Building to the airport fell under the control of demonstrating students.

According to eyewitness Shariful Anwar Sajjon, tension escalated rapidly around noon after a student was run over by an armored vehicle. Live gunfire soon followed. By afternoon, pellets were being fired from the rooftops of surrounding high-rise buildings. The situation worsened around 5:00 PM during a heavy security crackdown, which was when Rizvi was struck in the head by a bullet.

"Some of the people with Rizvi called to tell me he had been hit," his mother added. "At first, I thought it was just pellet fire and told them to take him to the hospital immediately. But when I reached Crescent Hospital, I learned the bullet had penetrated his head directly."

Rizvi remained alive for a brief period in the ICU as doctors made every effort to save him. By 7:30 PM, the medical team informed the family that recovery was no longer possible. Shortly after 11:00 PM, life support was removed, and his death was officially pronounced.
Upon receiving the news from Dhaka, his parents rushed from Noakhali, unaware of his death during their journey. Relatives chose to withhold the tragedy, wanting to preserve their hope until they reached the hospital. Arriving around 3:00 AM, they were confronted with the quiet, lifeless body of their son. They ultimately returned home in the very same ambulance they had taken to see him.

Investigations Unfinished After Two Years
Two years have elapsed, yet the investigation into Rizvi’s death remains incomplete. "I explicitly told the investigating officer not to frame anyone innocent, nor let the actual perpetrators escape," shared Rizvi's father, Jamal Uddin. "Justice should be determined by the crime, not political identity. Two years have passed, yet no charge sheet has been submitted. We are left only waiting."

Expressing disappointment over the administration's role, he added, "We are invited to official July commemoration events, but outside of those, no one updates us on the status of the case. When we reach out on our own, they often refuse to listen." Pausing mid-sentence, he quietly muttered, "He was my eldest child. I repeatedly warned him against joining the protests, but he wouldn't listen. It wasn't in his destiny... he left us. My son won't return, and we have yet to receive justice."

Tanha's Final Breath in Her Father's Arms
Much like Rizvi's family, another household continues to carry the lingering grief of martyr Meherun Nesa Tanha. Tanha was a third-year honors student at Hazrat Shah Ali Government College and an active participant from the onset of the movement. Her father routinely discouraged her involvement, but Tanha maintained that one could not sit idle in the face of injustice. Her resolve hardened further after her cousin, Akram Khan, was killed during the protests. "She kept saying she wanted justice for her brother's murder and would not abandon the movement," recalled her father, Mosharaf Hossain.

Describing the events of August 5, he said, "Following news of Sheikh Hasina's departure, Tanha headed toward Gono Bhaban in the morning. I asked her not to go and refused to give her fare money. Since public transport was halted, she walked all the way."

Recounting those final moments, he shared, "When gunfire broke out in our area that evening, I called Tanha and urged her to return home safely. She made it back, but within minutes, she was hit by a bullet. I carried her down in my arms and boarded a rickshaw to take her to the hospital. On the way, her mouth moved slightly—I realized then she was taking her final breath. Upon arrival, doctors officially declared her dead." Overcome with emotion, he added, "I consider myself fortunate that my daughter drew her last breath in my arms. She did not lie abandoned on the street, nor was her body dragged around. We were all by her side. That is the comfort I hold onto."

"Our Children Won't Return, but Justice Must be Served"
Mosharaf Hossain similarly expressed frustration over the lack of progress in her case. "I filed a lawsuit, but we are informed of nothing—who is being arrested, or who is being released." Concluding with his sole remaining expectation, he stated, "Our children will never come back. We simply want those responsible to face justice, and we hope for a Bangladesh where no parent ever has to live on holding the lifeless body of their child."