A 32-year-old furniture shop employee fatally shot in Chattogram. At least 163 lives (the actual number could be much higher) were lost when law enforcers opened fire on protesters during the recent unrest. But these victims are not just statistics; they are children, husbands, and friends. In this report, we try to know the story of three such names among these tragic numbers.
Mohammad Faruk, 32, an employee at a furniture shop in Shulakbahar, Chattogram, was fatally shot as Jubo League and Chhatra League clashed with quota reform protesters on July 16.
He was returning to work from lunch in the Muradpur area.
Faruk’s family, comprising his wife Sima Akhter, their eight-year-old son Fahim, and five-year-old daughter Fahima, now faces an uncertain future.
Faruk’s father, Abdul Dulal, a van driver, said, “Faruk was crossing the road after having lunch at a hotel in Muradpur when he was shot around 3:00pm on July 16. He did not belong to any party or participate in the movement. Still, my son had to die,” Abdul Dulal told The Daily Star.
Faruk, the second of four brothers and two sisters, was a pillar of support for his family.
He consistently sent money for his mother’s medical treatment while managing his family’s expenses. Despite their roots in Noakhali’s Begumganj area, Faruk and his family had been living in Lalkhan Bazar, Chattogram, since his marriage to Sima Akhter 17 years ago.
Sima Akhter recounted their 17-year marriage and Faruk’s eight years of work at the furniture store. “Faruk was always worried about the education of our children,” she said.
On July 28, Abdul Dulal, accompanied by Sima and the children, visited the Prime Minister’s office.
They received Tk 50,000 in cash and a check for Tk 10 lakh.
“I will not get my son back now. I am more worried about the future of my grandchildren,” said Abdul Dulal. “This money may be of temporary benefit, but I don’t know what the future will be like. Allah knows best.”
