Relatives claim they can’t find body of a protester shot dead at Farmgate on Sunday
Md Tahidul Islam [on left] and his ID card [on right]. Collage: TBS
“>
Md Tahidul Islam [on left] and his ID card [on right]. Collage: TBS
Md Tahidul Islam, a 22-year-old protester, was shot to death during a protest in the capital’s Farmgate on Sunday (4 August).
Tahidul was declared dead at 5:40pm at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), where his brother-in-law, Khokon Sardar, took possession of the body.
“After I received the body, some protesters brought out a procession with the body. The procession first went to the Shaheed Minar, then to the Raju Sculpture, and finally to Shahbagh. There were three other bodies with us,” Khokon told The Business Standard.
“As police started firing shots when we entered Shahbagh, the procession was dispersed. Since then, I haven’t been able to find Tahidul’s body since then.”
Khokon said, “We took refuge in the Birdem Hospital at around 6:10pm [on Sunday] and saw the police loading four bodies into their vehicle. When we contacted Shahbagh Police Station at around 7pm, we were informed that all bodies had been sent to Dhaka Medical.
“However, we were told from DMCH that Tahidul’s body was not brought back to the hospital,” he added.
Tahidul’s friend, Inzamul Haque, a student at Government Fazlul Haque College in Barishal, said, “After being shot in Farmgate, Tahidul’s companions called me. They took him to DMCH by rickshaw.
“I went there from Shewrapara and found him declared dead with an identification paper attached to his body. After Tahidul’s brother-in-law and I took possession of the body, a group of protesters asked us to accompany them to the Shaheed Minar,” he added.
The authorities at DMCH informed TBS on Sunday that after Tahidul was declared dead in the afternoon, his body was taken away by some “agitated individuals” along with his relatives.
Since then, the body has not returned to the hospital.
Khokon Sardar said, “I have received countless calls from Tahidul’s family. But I am unable to give them any satisfactory answers.”
As of filing this report on Tuesday (6 August) morning, relatives said they are yet to get Tahidul’s body.
