"It was 19 July. The time might be between 5:30 pm to 6:00 pm. We were adjacent to the New market Petrol Pump. Chase and counter chase took place between protesters of Students Against Discrimination and members of law enforcement agencies."
“After hearing several sounds of gunshot, I looked behind and saw a boy sitting just like he was praying. By that time the police passed us. Me and two of my friends went near the boy. I tightly held him. He looked upon me and said, ‘Bhai (brother) please, take me to a hospital.’ Then he laid down on our hands," said Alamgir who took part in a protest on that day under the banner of Anti-discrimination Student Movement.
Alamgir continued, "We hired a rickshaw to take him to a hospital. He was still alive then. I unlocked his phone using his finger. I came to know his name from the college identity card hanging around his neck. I called a number from the dial list and informed them that Shovon was shot by police, and we were taking him to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital. I requested him to inform his family about the matter."
"On the way, I felt a deep breath, Shovon might have breathed his last then," Alamgir said, adding, when they reached the hospital the entire emergency department was occupied by injured and dead people.
"A doctor checked his pulse and said he already had died," this is how Alamgir described the final moments of Saidul Islam Shovon, who died on 19 July while taking part in the student movement against discrimination in the city's New Market area.
Shovon passed HSC from Sheikh Borhan Uddin College last year. He was preparing for higher studies in Japan and the required papers were almost ready. However, Shovon will no longer be able to go there.
Shovon’s mother Shahnaz Begum said, "It was Friday. Shovon was having lunch after Jummah prayers. His friends were calling him repeatedly. Shovon completed his lunch and left in a hurry...."
"I did not know it was my son's last meal!" Shahnaz said.
"Later in the evening, a boy from the neighborhood came and told me that Shovon was shot by the police, he was being taken to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital.”
“His father was in India at the time. I rushed to the hospital...I saw my son's body lying on a trolley at a corner of the emergency department. My dearest son was no more, Shahnaz said.
"We got scared as my son was killed for taking part in the movement. We feared that if the police came to know about this, they would arrest us. So, we hurriedly brought his body from the hospital without even an autopsy.”
A few years back, on 21st February, Shovon made a poster comprising pictures of five language martyrs: Salam, Barkat, Rafiq, Shafiq and Jabbar along with him standing in front of a Shaheed Minar and posted it on Facebook. Who knew, all the characters of that poster would embrace the same fate, as all of them are now martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the country.
Shovon's mother Shahnaz Begum said, "We didn't notice that my son had tremendous love for the country, and who knew one day my Shovon would embrace martyrdom like the language martyrs."
"After Shovon's death, we scrolled through his Facebook account then we found this poster. Did God write martyrdom on his fate or Shovon wanted to be a martyr?" Shahnaz lamented.
Nazrul Islam, father of Shovon who is a businessman, said: "I was so happy with my son. He was a well-behaved child. Everything was shattered with Shovon's death. My beautiful family has been destroyed. I don't know how we will spend the rest of our lives.”
"We do not want anything from the government. We want Shovon's dream to come true. May all the dreams of Shovon regarding the country be fulfilled! May the people of the country remember Shovon forever! The people of the country must not forget the sacrifice of Shovon."
Delwar Hossain, acting principal of Borhanuddin College, said, "Shovon was a very brave boy. He is our national hero. The new era of the country has been ushered in through the sacrifice of young people like Shovon. We will not forget the contribution of these national heroes," he added.
The Chankhar Pul intersection here has been named after Shovon. The intersection has been named the ‘Shovon Chatwar’. Shovon is a role model for all, Delawar Hossain added.