Shaheed Shahriar Khan Anas and his mother Sanjida Khan Dipti. Collage : BSS

DHAKA, Sept 7, 2025 (BSS) - Sanjida Khan Dipti, mother of Shaheed Shahriar Khan Anas, a class 10 student who along with five others were killed in police firing at Chankharpool in the capital during the student Mass Uprising of July 24, has demanded hanging of all the eight accused in the case including deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and inspector general of police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun . 

Sanjida as a witness in the case gave the testimony before the three-member International Crimes Tribunal-1 led by Justice Golam Mortuza Majumder. 

With recording the statement of Sanjida, the testimony of 11 people has so far been taken in this case.

The next date for taking testimony in the case has been fixed on September 11.

Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam and Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim and other prosecutors were present in the tribunal on behalf of the prosecution.

In the statement, Sanjida said her son Anas was a class 10 student of Gendaria Adarsh Academy and he shot dead on unarmed student protesters on August 5 in 2024. 

On the morning of August 5 in 2024, Anas was not found at home, she said, adding that she found a letter on the study table of his room. 

The letter said that he was going to the procession. He could not stop himself. The letter also said my brothers are struggling on the streets with shrouds tied around their heads for the sake of future generations, sacrificing their lives selflessly. One day all will have to die. Therefore, it is better to die in shooting than sitting at home like a selfish person in fear of death. 

“A real person is one who sacrifices himself for others. If I do not return alive, be proud without suffering,” the mother said quoting her son’s letter as saying and broke down in tears.

In her statement, Anas's mother said, that day (August 5) the protesters had a Long March programme towards Dhaka programme. 

“My husband and I looked for Anas around but could not find him. At around 1:20 pm on that day, I received a call from an unknown number on my phone. He asked if any of you had gone to the movement.  I said that my son had gone. He asked me to go to Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital quickly. He also said that your number was saved in your son's phone. When I got there, I saw my son lying on a stretcher covered in blood. I hugged Anas. Then a boy named Saurav, who had taken him to the hospital, told us that the police had shot him dead in Chankharpul during the protest,” Sanjida said.

Anas's mother said, Saurav gave me Anas's phone, the hospital emergency department gave ticket and the death certificate, adding that the death certificate stated that Anas's cause of death was gunshot. 

“Then, we took Anas home in an auto rickshaw with our arms around him. Our clothes were soaked in Anas's blood. After reaching home, the locals took his body to a procession. During the procession, they said, "Why did my brother die? Answer it, Hasina." At one stage, after Asr prayers, Anas's funeral was held at the Dhupkhola field in Gendaria,” she said. 

Anas's mother said in her statement that she learned from Sourav, who was with Anas in the movement, and other eyewitnesses that around 10 am on August 5, thousands of protesters were stopped by the police in the Chankharpul area on their way to the Shaheed Minar. 

“The police then started firing sound grenades, rubber bullets and bullets. They then took shelter in various alleys of Nawab Katara to save their lives. When Anas took shelter in Nawab Katara alley, a policeman shot Anas there. One bullet hit Anas in the chest. Anas immediately fell to the ground. The protesters with him took Anas to the hospital in a rickshaw. Then Rabbi and many others recorded the scene of the murder on their mobile phones. The pen drive containing the video, Anas's letter, blood-stained clothes, death certificate and emergency department ticket have already been submitted to the tribunal,” she said.

In her statement, Anas's mother also said, "I learned from eyewitness accounts, newspapers and various CDs that, in order to suppress the movement, under the orders of then DMP Commissioner Habibur Rahman, Sudip Kumar Chakraborty under the leadership of Akhtarul Islam, in the presence of AC Imrul and OC Arshad, Constables Sujan, Imaz and Nasibul opened fire indiscriminately on the students. Anas, Junaid, Rakib, Yakub, Mamun and Manik were martyred in their firing."

Anas' mother said, "The above murders were committed at the orders of Sheikh Hasina, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Obaidul Quader and Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun (former IGP0. I want the murderers to be hanged."

On July 14, the International Crimes Tribunal-1 framed formal charges against eight accused, including former Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Habibur Rahman, in a case of crimes against humanity for shooting dead six people in the capital's Chankharpul area on August 5 last year. Recording of testimony has begun later.

The eight accused against whom formal charges have been framed in this case are - former DMP Commissioner Habibur Rahman, former Joint Commissioner Sudip Kumar Chakraborty, former Additional Deputy Commissioner of Ramna region Shah Alam Md. Akhtarul Islam, former assistant commissioner of Ramna region Mohammad Imrul, former inspector of Shahbagh police station Md. Arshad Hossain, constables Md. Sujan Hossain, Imaz Hossain and Md. Nasirul Islam. 

The first four of these accused are absconding while remaining four others are now in jails. The four arrested were produced before the court today.