Says Rickshawpuller Motiur
'I will never get joy like August 5 again in my life'
Rickshaw puller Motiur Islam stopped his rickshaw to watch the documentary on the July events. Agamir Somoy.
A documentary on the July Uprising was being shown on an LED screen in front of Dhaka University's Faculty of Fine Arts. At that moment, rickshaw puller Motiur Islam stopped his rickshaw and watched the documentary with rapt attention.
This rickshaw puller, a resident of Agargaon Taltala, has been stopping out of curiosity since Wednesday morning to watch the documentary being screened.
After watching the documentary, Motiur Islam said that the feeling of August 5, 2024, is one of the happiest moments of his life. He does not know if he will ever experience that feeling again. Even though the memories of that day came back on its second anniversary, he said he can no longer feel the same exhilaration and emotion as he did back then.
Recalling the memories, Motiur Islam said that on that day, he was near the Parliament building in Agargaon, so he took to the streets as soon as he heard the news. Everywhere he looked, there was a sea of people and the euphoria of victory.
Recounting his memories of entering the Ganabhaban (the official residence of the erstwhile Prime Minister) and the Parliament building, Motiur Islam said that many people were coming out of Ganabhaban with various items that day. He himself brought about 20 kilograms of onions. He believes that people celebrated that day out of the conviction that assets bought with public money rightfully belong to the public.
Throughout the entire month of July, while driving his rickshaw, he witnessed the brutal incidents of police firing on students with his own eyes. As a result, the fall on August 5 felt to him like a grand festival for people of all ages in the country.
Regarding the current situation, Motiur Islam said that because it is a special day (holiday), there have been fewer passengers on the roads since morning. Although he has only gotten one trip so far, he has no regrets about it.
Bringing up the topics of corruption, the foreign currency reserve crisis, and money laundering during Sheikh Hasina's government, he said the current government took office only six months ago. He feels that the government needs more time to overcome the long-standing crises and bring the country back to a normal state.
