“My son did nothing wrong; why was he shot dead? I demand a fair trial and justice for my son’s death,” said Rehena, mother of Raihan, 17, who died after being shot in Dhaka’s Badda area on August 5.
Raihan had been visiting his cousin’s house in Badda since early July, where he got involved in the quota-reform protests and opted not to return home in Chaulabunia village in Patuakhali Sadar upazila until the students’ demands were met.
A candidate for Dakhil examination in 2025 from a madrasa in Patuakhali, Raihan hailed from a poor family. His father Kamal Akon works as a day labourer, while his mother Rehena is a homemaker. His younger sister Jannati is only five years old.
On the morning of August 5, Raihan joined a protest in the Badda area when he was hit by six bullets in his chest and legs during a firing at the student protesters.
He was immediately taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where the on-duty doctor declared him dead.
His body was taken to Patuakhali the same night without autopsy. He was later buried in the family graveyard the next day.
While visiting the village home of Raihan, this correspondent saw the family in despair. Raihan’s mother stood beside his grave and said, “What was my son’s fault? He wanted a system without any discrimination but they shot my boy six times.”
His father consoled her and added, “My son used to study hard. It was our dream that he would achieve a good result and someday join government service and support our poverty-stricken family. His untimely death left our dreams shattered.”
