The Sholashahar station in Chittagong city was the gathering place for protesters demanding quota reform. A student rally was scheduled to take place there on July 16, 2024. For this reason, armed cadres of the Jubo League and Chhatra League, led by Jubo League leaders Helal Akbar Babar and Nurul Azim Rony, had already taken up positions there.
Realizing the situation, the students moved their rally to Muradpur. As the day progressed, students started gathering there. At one point, the Chhatra League-Jube League terrorists started firing at the unarmed students and the crowd. Chhatra Dal leader Wasim Akram was injured in the firing. Finding the injured Wasim, they approached him and stabbed him to death. Later, some fellow fighters took him to Chittagong Medical College Hospital, but he could not be saved.
When students from all over the country took to the streets, Wasim Akram posted a status on Facebook, "My organization is dedicated to the common students. I will be martyred in this identity." Within 16 hours of that status, Wasim truly became a martyr. And he was the first martyr of Chittagong in the July-August mass uprising.
Wasim's parents are still shedding tears after losing their son. His father, Shafiul Alam, who has returned from exile, runs to the grave every time he thinks of his son. And his mother is still searching for her beloved son.
According to family sources, Wasim was the third of two brothers and three sisters. His father is Shafiul Alam, a Saudi expatriate, and his mother is Jyotsna Begum. His elder brother Mohiuddin was once abroad, but is currently staying at home. His two younger sisters are studying.
Wasim passed his SSC from Mehranama High School in Pekua Sadar Union in 2017 and his HSC from Baklia Government College in 2019. Later, he enrolled in Chittagong College for a bachelor's degree in the Department of Sociology. Wasim was a member of the convening committee of the Chittagong College branch of Chhatra Dal. He lived in a mess in the Chawkbazar area.
Wasim Akram, a son of Mehrnama area of Pekuar, a coastal upazila of Cox's Bazar district, used to dream of higher education abroad. However, even though his dream of being martyred on the road was fulfilled, his dream of higher education abroad remained unfulfilled.
Father Shafiul Alam said, 'Wasim is my son, it is a matter of pride for me. My son's dream was to go to Europe for higher education. Before that, he gave his life for the country.' He added, 'I saw how small children were shot and killed like birds during the July Revolution. They are also my children. I saw bloody bodies lying on the streets. I want justice not only for Wasim, but for all the murders.'
Ibn Hossain, coordinator of Chittagong College in the anti-discrimination student movement, said, "Wasim Akram is the second martyr in the whole country and the first martyr in Chittagong. He is an inspiration to the youth of 24. We have urged the administration to construct a building, dormitory or some premises in Chittagong College to commemorate him."
Pekua Upazila Chhatra Dal convener M. Farhad Hossain said, "I brought Wasim into student politics. Later, I made him the general secretary of ward number 9 of Pekua Sadar East Zone Chhatra Dal, then the president of the same ward and finally a member of the Pekua Upazila Chhatra Dal convening committee."
He said, "Wasim was an indomitable soldier of Zia's ideology from the beginning. During the difficult times of the party and the nation's crisis, when student leaders did not dare to take to the streets, Wasim Akram, among several student leaders, was at the forefront of the processions to achieve various demands and to overthrow the dictatorshp."
Published :- daily amardesh
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