Shaheed Akram Khan Rabbi- Photo: BSS

By Barun Kumar Dash

DHAKA, June 18, 2025 (BSS) - Shaheed Akram Khan Rabbi, a martyr in the anti-discrimination student-people movement, used to dream of fulfilling the hopes and aspirations of his parents with his hard-earned money.
 
Rabbi was on his way to fulfilling his parents’ dreams. He used to work alongside his studies. But his journey was stopped forever by a bullet.
 
On July 19, 2024, Rabbi was shot dead by police while participating in a protest march of the anti-discrimination student-public movement in Mirpur 10, Dhaka. No one could even see his face for the last time.
 
While talking to BSS recently at his residence in Purbo Bistek under Kafrul police station, Mirpur 13 in the capital, Md Farooque Khan, father of Shaheed Akram Khan Rabbi, narrated the story of his martyrdom.
 
Shaheed Akram Khan Rabbi was 28 years old. He was studying at Crown University in the capital. He also worked at cricketer Enamul Haque Bijoy's business showroom.
 
Rabbi's father is Md Farooque Khan, 54, and mother is Beauty Akhter, 45.
 
Among the three brothers, Rabbi was the second. His elder brother is businessman Imran Khan Rocky, 32, and younger brother is Mehedi Hasan Rafi, 21 who passed HSC last year.
 
Although Rabbi was martyred on July 19, he was buried three days later on July 21 in the evening at Purbo Bistek graveyard in Mirpur.
 
Farooque Khan said, “My son was involved in the anti-discrimination student movement from the beginning. He used to join the movement in between office hours. He used his salary money to buy water, biscuits and various types of food for the protesters."
 
While narrating the events of that day, he said, "July 19 was a Friday. My Rabbi left home at noon to offer Jumma prayers. After the prayers, he joined the movement. at 4:17 pm, he was shot in the stomach and chest in front of Shaheed Abu Taleb School in Mirpur 10.”
 
“Around 4:30 pm, one of his friends called me and told me that my beloved son Rabbi was shot. We are taking him to Islamia Hospital Bangladesh at Mirpur 11,” he said.
 
He said, “I left the house and started walking towards Mirpur 11. His friend called me again and told me that my son would not be treated in this hospital. So we are taking him to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH). He asked me to go there.”
 
“When I went to DMCH with great difficulty, I saw my beloved son's body lying on the floor. His shirt was soaked in blood, said Farooque Khan, crying.
 
He said, "When I wanted to bring the body, the hospital authorities refused to give my son's body, saying that there were orders from above, the body cannot be given now. Then I paid Taka 5,000 to keep the body in the cold room, and returned home at night."
 
“The next morning, on July 20, I came to collect the body and found Rabbi's body lying outside. I tried hard all day on July 20 to collect the body, but failed. Finally, on July 21, after trying hard, I found Rabbi's body,” he said.
 
The body had been rotting outside for three days and was emitting a bad smell. Later that evening, after the funeral, Rabbi was buried at the Purbo Bistek graveyard in Mirpur.
 
Rabbi's father expressed his anger and said, “I understand the pain of losing a son now. My pain is that no one could even see my son's face at the farewell party. I paid money to keep my son's body in a cold room. But the body was left outside.”
 
“My son's body was lying outside for three days. Even when I was standing at my son's funeral, the police came to arrest me. The police could not arrest me that day due to the resistance of local people,” he said.
 
Beauty Akhter, said, “My son Rabbi had joined the movement from the beginning. We ate lunch together at home on July 18. In the afternoon, he went and bought water for the students and people participating in the movement with his salary money.”
 
“When he returned home at night, he told us about this. His father and I forbade him from participating in the movement,” she said.
 
Beauty Akhter said, “The next day, on July 19, at noon, Rabbi left home to offer Jumma prayers. At around 4:30, a friend called his father and told him that my son Rabbi was shot. Then his father quickly left home.”
 
“I told his father what happened to my son, where was he shot? His father left home without telling me anything. A little later, my son's friend called me and said, don't worry auntie, Rabbi was shot in the hand,” she said.
 
She said, the whole afternoon passed, it was 11 pm, and I didn't get any news from my much-loved son. Around midnight his father returned home.
 
“As soon as I opened the door, I could smell the ‘attar’ (perfume) from his father’s body. Then I realized that my son was no more. Even then I asked my husband why your body smells of attar! So is my Rabbi no more?” she said in a heavy voice with teary eyes.
 
“Then I waited for three days, for my son's body, to see my son for a moment. I begged everyone to take me to DMCH, but no one took me there,” she said.
 
Beauty Akhter said, “Later on July 21, when I heard that my son's body would be brought today, I kept waiting downstairs from morning. I would see my son a little, caress him a little, and kiss him for the last time.”
 
“But I am such an unfortunate mother! I couldn't even see my son's body. My life was in vain,” she lamented.
 
She said, “Rabbi used to help me with various household tasks including cooking, washing dishes, and mopping the house after returning home from his office. If I was unwell, he would not let me do any work. He would bring me everything I needed.”
 
"Now no one asks me, 'Mom, do you need anything?” grieving mother said. 

Demanding that measures be taken to prevent any more fascists from coming to power in the future, Rabbi's father Faruk Khan said, "Thousands of students and people across the country have been martyred and injured by participating in the July-August movement .”
 
“In exchange for their sacrifices, we have got a country free from fascism. I want no more fascists to come to power in the future so that thousands of 
mothers' laps become empty again,” he said.
 
The grieving father demanded death penalty for his son's killers and the martyrs of the July-August student-people uprising.
 
At the same time, martyred Rabbi’s father Faruk Khan demanded the rehabilitation of thousands of students and people from all over the country who were injured in this movement.
 
During the anti-discrimination movement, Akram Khan Rabbi participated in the movement in the Mirpur 10 area of the capital on July 19.
 
He was shot and martyred in a joint attack by the police and activists of  Awami League, Chhatra League and Jubo League at around 4 pm.
 
In this incident, Rabbi's father Faruk Khan filed a murder case against 48 people, including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, at Pallabi police station on August 25, 2024.