By Mohiuddin Suman

TANGAIL, June 6, 2025 (BSS) - Ikramul Haque Sajid, 25, wanted to pave the small tin-shed mosque he built with his own funding. He used to pay the salary of the mosque's Imam with the money he earned from tuition.
 
He used to tell everyone in the area that his studies were almost over. If he got a good job, he would start paving the mosque.

But he could not fulfill the dream, as he passed away at an early stage of his life.

To immortalize the memory of martyred student Ikramul Haque Sajid, the local administration has named the road from Nalla Bazar to Kadamtali in Tangail's Dhanbari after him.

According to family sources, on August 4, 2024, when the student-public uprising was at its peak, a severe clash took place between students and protesters with law enforcement agencies and Awami terrorists in front of Sahali Plaza in Mirpur, Dhaka. 

Sajid also participated in the protest march with many others. At around 5:30 pm, a police bullet suddenly hit him in the right eye and exited through the back of his head. Sajid fell on the road. Within moments, the asphalt road became bloody.

Sajid was taken to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) where he underwent surgery. He was under treatment at the CMH for about 10 days. But, unfortunately, Sajid died there at 2 pm on August 14.

The next day, on Thursday morning, August 15, his Namaz-e-Janaza was held at his native village Bilkukari under Birtara union in Dhanbari upazila of Tangail.

Sajid was buried in the family graveyard next to the mosque built by him.

Sajid's mother Nazma Khatun Lipi said, "My only son Sajid was active in the anti-discrimination student movement from the beginning. He used to pray five times a day along with studying.”

“He would say that when he finished studying, he would get a good job. Then he would take up the task of paving the mosque in the village. Sajid couldn’t fulfil that wish,” she said.

She said, “Although we first forbade him from joining the street movement, he didn’t listen to us. The day I didn’t let him go to the movement, he stayed at home all the time. But I noticed that even when he was at home, his mind was on the protest march.”

“After that, I didn’t forbid him from going to the movement. I would just say that it is good that you are going to the movement, but take care of yourself. He would tell me, Trust in Almighty Allah, and look at me, Mom, nothing will happen to me,” she said.

Sajid's mother said in a tearful voice that day, on August 4, Sajid came home after offering Zuhr prayers at the mosque.

“He told me, ‘Maa, give me rice; I have to eat and go out,’” Nazma Khatun recounted.

“I gave him rice. After eating, Sajid got ready to go to the movement. I didn't say no. Then I said, If you are going to the movement, pray two rakats of Nafl Namaz. He prayed two rakats of Nafl Namaz at home, as I told him,” she said.

She said, “While leaving, I recited the 'Ayatul Kursi' and blew on him.”

“While leaving, he told me to pray for him and assured me that nothing will happen to him. Those were the last words my son said to me,” Nazma said in a sobbed-tone voice. 

Sajid's father, Ziaul Haque, said, “Sajid was the younger of my two children. He was very talented in his studies. He passed SSC from BNF Shaheen School and College in 2016 and HSC from Adamjee Cantonment College in 2018 with great success.” 

Sajid was a final-semester master's student of the Accounting and Information Systems (AIS) department of Jagannath University. 

He said, “The police bullets took my son’s life. This brutal murder has shattered all our dreams. I want justice for the murder of my only son. I request the countrymen to pray for Sajid. May Allah forgive him and grant him paradise.” 

Sajid's only elder sister, Farzana Haque, said, “My brother was very brave and pious. He was a brilliant student. He never compromised with injustice, be it at home or outside. Initially, we prevented Sajid from going to the movement, but later we didn’t.” 

While describing the day of the incident, she said, "When I left home on the morning of August 4 to go to the office, Sajid was sleeping. That day, I didn’t have a chance to talk to Sajid face-to-face.” 

“However, I always kept in touch on my mobile phone while sitting in the office. That day, when I last called him at 5 pm, I found that the phone was switched off,” she said. 

She said, “Around 6:30 pm, a friend of Sajid called me and told me that Sajid had been shot. He was admitted to the CMH. We all rushed there. My brother passed away while undergoing treatment there. I still can’t believe that my brother is not alive." 

"At the end of September, I filed a murder case with Kafrul police station in Dhaka, accusing 73 people. I want justice for my innocent brother’s killing," she said. 

While talking to BSS, Sajid's uncle Akbar Ali said, “My brother (Sajid’s father) used to live in Mirpur 10, Dhaka, due to his service in the Air Force.” 

When Sajid came to his native home on vacation, he would keep everyone in the village busy. He was always there for the villagers in times of trouble. ‘That’s why the villagers loved him very much, he recalled. 

“Our family mosque was built only with corrugated sheets by Sajid. He used to pay the salary of the mosque’s Imam with the money he earned from private tuitions,” he said. 

Sajid’s dream was to finish his studies, get a good job, and pave the mosque.

He also wanted to devote himself to the welfare of the poor and helpless people of the area, said Akbar Ali. 

“But he didn’t get that time. Almighty Allah took him away. I always pray that Allah accepts Sajid as a martyr and makes him a resident of Paradise,” he said. 

Sajid's cousin Shamsul Alam Ratan said, “Sajid used to go home through this road. He was martyred during the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement. I can never forget his sacrifice. Sajid is not with us. But his memory is with us now.” 

“We applied to the district administration and Dhanbari upazila administration to name this road after Sajid to immortalise him. The administration agreed and implemented it. We are grateful to the administration for this,” Ratan said. 

Dhanbari Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Abu Sayeed said that two persons were martyred and seven others were injured in the anti-discrimination student movement in Dhanbari upazila.

“Sajid is the pride of Dhanbari upazila. He sacrificed his life for the country. Sajid is our fearless, heroic son. None of us wanted to be proud of losing him like this. However, we pray for him to be well in the afterlife,” he said.