Engineer Sujan Mahmud. Photo : Collected

By Barun Kumar Das
 
DHAKA, May 14, 2025 (BSS) - Young engineer Sujan Mahmud had a dream of building a house and starting a new life in an institution he had built with his own hands. But that dream ended forever.   

On August 5, Sujan Mahmud was shot dead during a victory procession of the anti-discrimination student-people movement on the Dhaka city streets.
 
The sudden shattering of a promising life seems to be a cruel reality of this time.
 
When the streets were filled with the dreamy enthusiasm of the masses after the fall of the fascist regime, the deadly bullet of the ruling tyrant dragged the dreamy journey of an innocent life.
 
Immersed in the magical atmosphere of a flower bed, weaving new dreams, the young man who was supposed to get married in a few days had his destiny written in the dense darkness of the grave.
 
The story of Shaheed engineer Sujan is not just a tragedy of a young man; it is a sad story of a generation's struggle and supreme sacrifices. 
 
The wedding date of young engineer Sujan Mahmud, 34, was set for September 27, 2024.
 
But before that, on August 5, after the fall of fascist Sheikh Hasina, he was shot and embraced martyrdom during the student-led mass uprising  in Mirpur area of the capital city.
 
As a result, he never could get married. A fresh soul with many dreams in his heart fell prematurely.
 
Rabeya Khatun, the elder sister of anti-discrimination student movement activist Shaheed Sujan Mahmud, made these remarks while talking to a BSS reporter at her residence in Rooppur Natunpara area of Shahjadpur municipal town in Sirajganj district.
 
Sujan's mother Shamsunnahar Begum and his brother Sultan Mahmud were present at the time.
 
Rabeya Khatun said, "What was my brother's fault? Why was he brutally shot dead?"
 
She said, "I spoke to him around 4 pm on August 5. Sujan himself called, maybe to say his last words. I could not have imagined that this would be the last time I spoke to him."
 
"I asked him what he had with his rice for lunch. My brother said he had it with beef. I told him not to go to the procession today, said Rabeya.
 
"There is no problem today. Sheikh Hasina has fled. The police will not shoot again." But around 5 pm, his friends called and said that Sujon was no more," she said, quoting Sujon.
 
Sujon’s mother Shamsunnahar Begum, 65, stunned by his grief, said, ‘Give my son back. What was my son’s fault? He did not do anything wrong. So why was his life taken away like this? I want justice for the murder of my son.’
 
Shaheed Sujon Mahmud was born on June 30, 1991 in Rooppur under Shahjadpur upazila of Sirajganj district. He is the youngest son of the late Alhaj Abdur Rashid Master of Rooppur Natunpara area in Shahjadpur municipality.
 
Sujon Mahmud was the youngest of three brothers and one sister. After completing his B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from a private university in Dhaka and working for a few days, he started his own business.
 
He lived in a rented house at Mirpur-6. He came home during the Eid al-Adha holidays in 2024 and spent some time with his mother, brother and sister. But he did not meet his mother again until his death.
 
Sujon’s second brother, school teacher Sultan Mahmud said that Sujon, after passing B.Sc. Electrical Engineering, worked in a private company in Dhaka. Later, he started his own business there.
 
On the afternoon of August 5, he joined the massive victory procession of the indomitable student-public uprising and went to Mirpur-2 area and was shot in a clash with the police.
 
He was first taken to a local hospital in serious condition. Later, when he was taken to Suhrawardy Hospital, the doctor on duty declared him dead.
 
He also said that Sujon’s body was brought to their village house in Ratankandi village of Habibullah Nagar union under Shahjadpur upazila of Sirajganj at around 2:30 am.
 
On August 6, at 9 am, after the Namaj-e-Janaza at the shrine of Shah Habibullah (RA) at Badalbari, he was buried at the graveyard of Habibullah Yemeni shrine.
 
Sujon’s elder brother Shaheen Uddin said, "I want justice for the murder of my brother. The real murderer should be found through a fair and impartial investigation and given the maximum punishment.”
 
Family members said that Shaheed Sujan Mahmud was working in his own business establishment titled 'Creative Technology BD' in the capital Dhaka city.
 
He used to sell electronic products online from the company. He participated in the victory procession on August 5, the day of the second independence.
 
When the procession was moving from Mirpur-10 to Mirpur-6, the police opened fire indiscriminately from Mirpur model police station at around 4:30 in the afternoon.
 
Then people started running in different directions. Just then, a bullet pierced Sujan Mahmud's neck.
 
He was first taken to a local hospital and later to Suhrawardy Hospital, where the doctors declared him dead.
 
Shaheed Sujan's mother Shamsunnahar Begum said, "My son participated in the anti-discrimination student-people movement motivated by patriotism. Fear of death could not stop him from the movement.”
 
"Sujon's dream was to become a big businessman. But that dream did not come true. He heroically sacrificed his life for the country," the mother said, crying.
 
'The police brutally killed my son, a piece of my heart,” she said, and called on everyone to pray for my son.'
 
When asked about the cooperation, Sujon’s elder brother Sultan Mahmud said, “We have received a check of Taka five lakh from the July Shaheed Smrity Foundation and Taka two lakh from Jamaat-e-Islami.”
 
In addition, the Deputy Commissioner and Upazila Nirbahi Officer met the family before Eid and inquired about their well-being.
 
Shaheed Sujan's elder brother Sultan Mahmud filed a murder case against 14 people, including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, in the capital's Dhaka CMM Court on September 20 in connection with the murder of Sujan Mahmud.