Journalist Md Atiqur Rahman Photo: Collected

BARIHAL, June 1, 2025 (BSS) – Journalist Md Atiqur Rahman's support for the July-August uprising succeeded to oust the nearly 16-year-long fascism cost him his life.

On August 5 in 2024, while performing professional duties during the massive student-people uprising, Atiq (34) became a victim of “a targeted killing” as his wife Mahua Begum described.

Md Atiq, the eldest son of Md Nasir Uddin (68) and Nurjahan Begum (60) of Khunnagobindopur village in Hizla Upazila of the district, was a reporter at ‘The Business Post’ prior to his death.

Recalling the tragic day, Mahua tearfully said, “That morning, my husband left our Palashpur home in the capital’s Shanir Akhra for Jatrabari to cover the news of the uprising in the areas of Palashpur, Kadamtali, and Donia. But he never came back.”

As hours passed by and Atiq did not return home even after evening, his wife Mahua became worried and tried to reach him over phone, but found his mobile phone switched off.

Atiq's younger brother Soleman, who joined the protest in the Jatrabari area on that day, also tried to find his brother, but failed.

“By evening, I couldn’t reach him. His phone was switched off. We searched everywhere. Finally, around 10.30 pm, we found him at the morgue of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH),” Mahua lamented.

“According to eyewitnesses, police had fired a bullet directly into my husband’s forehead, killing him on the spot,” she continued.

Mahua said later they received the body from the hospital and brought it to their village home in Khunnagobindopur of Hizla upazila in the district.

Atiq was laid to eternal rest at the graveyard adjacent to Deowan Bari Madrasa in his village on the night of August 6 following his namaj-e-janaza there.

Mahua, now a widow with two small children—Adiba Abdullah (4) and Azima Rahman (6), is currently living in Barishal and struggling to console her children.

“Every night, my son calls out for his father. How do I explain to them that he will never come back?” grief-stricken wife of Atiq asked.

“Atikur was the sole breadwinner of our family, and a fearless journalist. He never compromised his integrity,” Mahua tearfully said.

Atiq is also survived by his parents, a married sister, Surma Begum (32), and a younger brother, Md Soleman (30).

Seeking justice for his brother’s killing, Soleman said his sister-in-law (Atiq’s wife) Mahua filed a case at Kadamtali Police Station in Dhaka over the killing of Atiq.

“We want capital punishment for those who killed my brother,” Soleman demanded.