Widow of Bangladeshi man killed in border shooting gives birth to daughter

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A woman in Lalmonirhat’s Hatibandha upazila has given birth to a daughter just three weeks after her husband, Khademul Islam, was fatally shot by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) along the Amjhol border. Sabina Yasmin, 22, delivered the infant late Thursday night at her father’s residence in Gotamari union, leaving her to face an uncertain future as a widow with two young children.

Khademul Islam, 25, died on May 14 after being shot by BSF personnel while he was fishing near a riverbank close to the border. According to reports, he succumbed to his injuries while being transported to a hospital in Rangpur for emergency medical care. His death, which was widely covered by outlets including Prothom Alo, has left his family in mourning and sparked questions regarding the use of lethal force along the frontier.

Reflecting on the tragedy, Sabina questioned the necessity of the fatal encounter. She noted that if her husband had committed a transgression, he could have been detained by the BSF and processed through legal channels or handed over to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) rather than being killed. As she navigates the challenges of raising her newborn and her four-year-old daughter, Ishrat Jannat, she remains deeply concerned about their financial security and educational prospects.

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The family’s situation remains precarious. Sabina’s father, Badiuzzaman, who works as a van driver, explained that his eldest daughter is also a widow and works in a garment factory in Dhaka to support the family. With limited resources, the extended family is now deliberating on how best to provide for Sabina and her children, weighing whether she should remain at her father’s home or return to her in-laws.

Khademul’s father, Amzad Hossain, confirmed that family members visited the newborn and Sabina on Friday to offer support. While discussions regarding the long-term living arrangements are ongoing, the family continues to grapple with the void left by the sudden loss of their breadwinner.