By Md Mamun Islam

RANGPUR, May 27, 2025 (BSS) - "My grandson Nasir used to say that the death of a martyr is the most honourable. They are chosen servants of Almighty Allah, destined for heaven without judgment. They are the guests of the Most Merciful."

These emotional words were shared by 76-year-old Md Moksed Ali, grandfather of 21-year-old martyr Hafez Md Nasir Islam, during an interview with BSS at his residence in the remote village of Prannath, located in Kawnia upazila of Rangpur.

Nasir, a devout and gifted young man, was known for his deep attachment to the mosque and madrasa. He was a first-year Alim (Intermediate Science) student at Tamirul Millat Kamil Madrasa, Tongi branch, in Gazipur district.

On July 20, 2024, Nasir was shot dead in police firing during a massive protest organised by the anti-discrimination student movement in front of his educational institution.

A day before his martyrdom, Nasir, while attending the namaz-e-janaza of another martyred student, told his classmates that, by the will of Almighty Allah, martyrs go to heaven without any trial.

Hafez Nasir wanted to become a doctor to serve humanity along with spreading the true message of Islam, the religion of peace, according to the path shown in the Holy Quran.

Nasir was the only son of his father, Md Ashraful Islam, 47, a garment trader, and his mother, Nazma Akter, 37, a housewife.

Nasir has two sisters, Amina Khatun, 15, and Achhia Moni, 12, who are studying in classes IX and VII respectively at Metro School and College in the Konabari area of Gazipur.

Hailing from Prannath village in Shaheedbag Union of Kawnia upazila in Rangpur, the family now lives in a rented house at 'The Housing Society' in the Konabari area of Gazipur district.

Nasir's father, Ashraful Islam, left his village in 1998 due to financial hardship and moved to Gazipur in search of work. He began working at a garment factory there.

Later, in 2001, he married Nazma Akter, who was also working in a garment factory in Gazipur at the time.

After leaving his garment factory job, Ashraful Islam started his own garment business in 2007.

During this time, Nasir completed his primary education at Morning Sun High School in Konabari in 2016. His father enrolled him in sixth grade at the same school in 2017.

"After joining the sixth grade, Nasir did not like studying there. He wanted to continue his studies in a madrasa to acquire Islamic knowledge," Ashraful told BSS with a heavy heart.

"Understanding Nasir's sincere desire, I admitted him to the Al-Quran department at Tanjimul Ummah Hifz Madrasa, Uttara Branch, in the same year," Ashraful Islam said.

Nasir successfully completed his Hifz in 2019 and became a Hafiz of the Holy Quran.

"Later, as per Nasir's wishes, I admitted him to class VIII at Tamirul Millat Kamil Madrasa, Tongi branch, in Gazipur district in 2019," he mentioned.

Hafez Nasir lived in the madrasa hostel and passed the Dakhil examination with distinction in 2022. In the same year, he was admitted to the Alim level at the same institution.

He was appearing for his first-year Alim final exams during the anti-discrimination student movement in July last year.

Like many educational institutions, his madrasa was closed due to the widespread unrest during the July uprising.

In such a situation, like elsewhere, students of the Tongi branch of Tamirul Millat Kamil Madrasa took to the streets in front of their institution in the afternoon of July 20.

"At one point, police opened fire on the protesters around 3 pm, killing and injuring many students and civilians. One bullet hit Nasir's chest and exited through his body," Ashraful said, quoting his son's classmates.

At 4:10 pm, someone called Ashraful from Nasir's mobile phone to inform him that his son had been admitted to Kurmitola General Hospital with injuries and he was asked to come immediately.

"Having hired an ambulance, I, my wife, two daughters and my elder brother Abdul Ahad, 48, who is also a garment trader, rushed to Kurmitola General Hospital at 6 pm. But we were not destined to see Nasir alive. He had already returned to Almighty Allah," he said.

A doctor on duty told Ashraful Islam that Nasir had been alive for about 30 minutes after his fellow students brought him to the hospital. He needed blood immediately.

"My son didn't receive proper treatment before his final departure from this mortal world," said Ashraful Islam, in tears.

The ordeal did not end there. Ashraful Islam, his wife Nazma Akter and other relatives faced harassment and humiliation while trying to receive Nasir's body from the hospital.

"We received the body at 7 pm and were about to return home with it in a rented vehicle. However, an official came and took the body back to the hospital, saying it would be handed over only after an autopsy," he said.

Later, after a delay of five hours, police from Cantonment Police Station arrived, prepared the inquest report, and took the body to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospital for autopsy at 12:05 am.

"After the autopsy, we finally received the body at 3:30 pm the next day, July 21, from the Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospital morgue," said Ashraful Islam.

Hiring an ambulance, Ashraful and his wife returned to Konabari with relatives at 7 pm and then left for Rangpur. They reached their ancestral village of Prannath at 2:30 am on July 22.

"Hafez Nasir Islam's Namaz-e-Janaza was held in front of our house in Prannath village at 7 am and he was buried in our family graveyard at 7:30 am," he said.

Nasir used to sleep in the same bed with his grandfather when he was at home. He would explain various things to him in the light of the Holy Quran and Sunnah. He wanted to become a doctor to serve humanity and spread the message of Islam.

Nasir once said, "The death of a martyr is the best. A martyr will enter Paradise without trial. Martyrs are the guests of Almighty Allah," Moksed Ali said, quoting Nasir.

Nasir's mother Nazma Akter said, "My only son Nasir has become a guest of Almighty Allah. Like his father, I am also very proud to be the mother of a martyred son. Please pray for my son."