Alamgir Sheikh, 36, of Kushtia, came to Dhaka 20 years back and started driving car to maintain his family.
As he had to suffer a lot while maintaining his two children鈥檚 tuition fees and house rent apart from the food cost of his family, he took a venture of ride-sharing under the platform of Pathao along with continuing his job as a driver.
With the extra income, Alamgir鈥檚 family started seeing good days. But all of their hopes were shattered on July 19 as he was shot dead by police while he was offering water to the protesters, who were taking part in anti-discrimination student movement.
Soon after the death, family members of Alamgir, son of Izarul of Kosba under Kumarkhali upazila in Kushtia, took his body to their native village and buried the corpse without an autopsy.
Relatives said that after jumma prayers, Alamgir went to his office in Rampura area asking his wife to cook.
Family members, quoting witnesses, said that police fired at the protesters from a helicopter on the day. Some of the protestors were badly injured and fell on the road after being shot.
Seeing the protesters鈥� helpless condition, Alamgir started helping them and feeding water to some of the injured. Then, three bullets fired from a helicopter hit him.
Alamgir was taken to a nearby hospital by the employees of his company. But there were no doctors at the hospital. So, he had to die there without any treatment.
His family members took his body to their native village by an ambulance and buried it hurriedly, fearing arrest and harassment.
It has been over two months since Alamgir鈥檚 death. But his family members have yet to overcome the shock.
鈥楳y son was very pious. . . He went to help people. But he had to die as police fired at him from a helicopter,鈥� said Aleya Khatun, mother of Alamgir.
鈥榃hat was my son鈥檚 crime...what will happen to my family?鈥� she cried out loudly while narrating that day鈥檚 incident.
鈥業f the government helps us...we will be able to live,鈥� she added.
鈥楾he money, my husband used to earn, was not sufficient to run our family. That鈥檚 why, he started riding a bike under Pathao... But nothing is left now. We have all been shattered,鈥� said Rima Khatun, wife of Alamgir.
鈥業 don鈥檛 know how we will live our lives with my mother-in-law, father-in-law and my kids,鈥� she said, requesting the government to help them.
Azad, younger brother of Alamgir, said that they had been compelled to bury the body with bullets.
鈥業 am an elderly person. Alamgir was my eldest son who took care of us. Now, I am very worried about my grandchildren ... I do not know how I will run my family,鈥� Alamgir鈥檚 father Izarul said.
Kumarkhali upazila nirbahi officer SM Mikail Islam said that the work of preparing the lists of the victims killed during anti-discrimination student movement, was being done, and victims鈥� family would be helped following the lists.
鈥榃e will take measures in terms of helping the family of the martyred upon receiving instruction from the government,鈥� he added.
