Baby, a single mother, reared her only child, Emon Hossain Akash, after her husband had abandoned her when the child was one year old.
But, Akash, now 22 years old, left her, too. He was shot in the head during a clash of students and law enforcers at Mirpur 10 in Dhaka on August 4.
The students had held protests since July 1, seeking reforms in civil service job reservations. The protests peaked into a mass uprising towards the end of July, toppling the Awami League government on August 5.
鈥業 have nothing but tears left,鈥� she grieved on September 22. She reared Akash with what she could make as a household services worker.
Akash had to quit his studies after secondary schooling because of financial constraints. He took up the job of a delivery man for an online shop for Tk 15,000 a month.
Akash left the house with friends at about 1:00pm to join the protests that day. 鈥業 woke up from a bad dream about Akash. I called him and he assured me that he would be back home soon. But, he never came back,鈥� Baby said.
A bullet pierced his head at around 6:30pm and physicians at Dr Azmal Hospital at Mirpur pronounced him dead after he had been taken there.
Baby, who lost her parents long ago, has decided to leave Dhaka forever to live in her hometown of Shariatpur, where her brothers live.
鈥業 want justice for the murder. I also want the state to shoulder my responsibility,鈥� she said. Akash was the main breadwinner of the family.
鈥業鈥檝e grown old. I can no longer work. After I had lost my only hope, I lost my mental strength,鈥� said Baby, who suffers from heart problems and diabetes.
A murder case was filed with the Pallabi police. Baby could not tell the date of filing but said that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party had helped her in this.
The government on August 28 said that about 1,000 people had died in the protests and subsequent uprising.