“It’s night, the boy doesn’t come anymore”
Ashiqul Islam (14) sits and eats with mother Arisha Afroz after Friday prayers. Even though it was night, the boy did not return home that day. While walking in the garage waiting for his son, a boy shows him a picture on his cell phone. In the picture, he sees his son’s head bandaged, his eyes closed.
Arisha Afroz, the mother of Shaheed Ashiqul Islam in the July mass uprising, gave this statement to the International Criminal Tribunal-1 on Wednesday. He testified as the fifth witness in the case against four defendants including two army officers in connection with the crimes against humanity committed in Rampura and Banshri areas of the capital during the mass uprising.
Among the four accused, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) former officer Lt. Col. Mohammad Redwanul Islam and Major Md. Rafat-bin-Alam is in sub-jail. They were produced in the tribunal today. The other two defendants are former Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADC). Rashedul Islam and former OC of Rampura police station. Moshiur Rahman absconding.
In the deposition, Arisha Afroz said that her son Ashiqul Bansree was studying in class 9 at Nibras Madrasa. He works as a tailor. On July 19, 2024, his son Ashiqul came to Banshri’s house after Friday prayers and ate with him. Hearing the voices of the agitators, his son went to join the agitators. He saw his son standing on Avenue Road with the protestors. When the firing started suddenly, the agitators including his son ran towards Road No. 2.
Arisha Afroz said in the statement that she kept waiting for her son, the son did not come till night. Around 10:00 p.m., he was walking to the garage for his son. At that time, a boy asked him, ‘What happened to aunty?’ He said, ‘My son has not returned home yet, I can’t find any trace of him.’
Ashikul’s mother said, then the boy showed a picture on his mobile phone and said, “Look, is this your son?” In the picture, his son’s head was bandaged, eyes closed. He fainted after seeing the picture. (Bansreer) went to Advance Hospital to see his son around 12:00 pm. The doctors on duty said that his son died of bullet injuries.
In the deposition, Arisha Afroz also said that later she came to know that Redwanul Islam, Rafat-bin-Alam, Rashedul Islam and Moshiur Rahman opened fire on the orders of the ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. He wants justice for the murder of his son.
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