Student killed in Dhaka, family says ‘we never knew’ of his involvement in protest

The family of 21-year-old Romijuddin Roop is mourning the loss of their son, who was killed during violent clashes between students and Bangladesh police on August 4 in Dhaka. Romijuddin was one of several students who died during the government job quota protests that erupted in the city.

Romijuddin, a polytechnic student at Daffodil University, was actively involved in the protest against the government of Sheikh Hasina. However, his involvement in the protests was unknown to his family. On the day of the incident, Romijuddin told his mother he was going to meet friends, leaving home despite the tense situation outside.

During the protest in the Dhanmondi and Shahbagh areas, violent clashes broke out between demonstrators and police, leading to the police opening fire on the protesters. Romijuddin was struck by bullets and was rushed to Dhaka Medical College, where doctors declared him dead.

His family, devastated by the news, is still in shock. His sister, Nahin Mehnaz, a receptionist at a three-star hotel in Old Dhaka, expressed her grief, told India Today, “We never knew he was active in the protest. He said he was going to meet friends. We only found out about his death when his body was taken to the medical college.”

The August 4 protests saw thousands of students and other organisations march through Dhaka, calling for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign. The protest turned violent when police attempted to stop the march, resulting in several deaths and injuries. Students have accused the police of using excessive force, including firing live ammunition at the protesters.

In the aftermath of the violence, there has been widespread fear among the police force, with many officers going into hiding following the resignation of Sheikh Hasina. However, life in Dhaka is gradually returning to normal. On Tuesday, traffic was reported to be flowing smoothly, with traffic police resuming their duties.

A traffic sub-inspector, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said, “There was a sense of fear after August 5 among the policemen, but now the government and the public have provided assurances, and we hope the situation will never return to what we witnessed in the past.”

The deaths of Romijuddin and other students have sparked a growing demand for the prosecution of the police officers responsible for the violence. The situation remains tense as the city continues to recover from the traumatic events of the past few days.