Hasan’s last post

Sabbir Hasan is one of the four students of Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology (AUST) who went missing in the Bay of Bengal at St Martin’s Island on Monday afternoon.

Before leaving Dhaka for Cox’s Bazar on Saturday, Hasan had posted a status in the Facebook which reads: “Goodbye friends! Going out of the network totally!!”

One of his Facebook friends, Rahat Khan Amit, commented on the post, “I can’t hold back my tears.”

Like Amit, many others cannot come to terms with Hasan’s absence. His relatives are reliving their memories through the Facebook posts.

Two students of the private university drowned, three were rescued and four went missing in the Bay while bathing near St Martin's island on their Pahela Baishakh holiday on Monday.

All of them were students of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the private university.

Hasan’s family, living in Dhaka’s Mohammadpur area, appeared shattered on Tuesday.

“I won’t have my son confined to a photograph. Oh God, please give me back my son,” wailed his mother, Selina Akther.

Domestic help Sharmin said: “Everything would be so lively when Bhaia would be at home. No one has spoken a word; they are crying since last night.”

Hasan’s father Hasanur Rahman, Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Planning, is now on post-retirement leave (PRL).
They leave at the first floor of the House No. 151 of Mohammadpur Housing Society in the city.

Hasanur said Hasan was a good photographer whose works had once been exhibited at the Drik Gallery in Dhaka. He was also supposed to participate in foreign exhibitions.

Hossain used to be a photographer in an event management company - Memory Makers.

“He was our only son. I wanted him he take the responsibility of the family after my retirement. I wished to lead a happy life with all. But all hopes are now dashed,” said a shocked Hasanur.

Hasan’s cousin Abdur Rouf Mohon said that Sabbir did not know how to swim and might have been swept away while taking pictures of his friends.

Thirty-four students from the university came to the island and checked into local ‘Senjun Hotel’.

All of them went to the sea on Monday afternoon. Nine of them were swept away by surge of water. Locals and coast guards rescued five of them while the remaining four went missing.

Two of the five rescued students died later.

Petty Officer at the Coast Guard headquarters Mohammad Kamruzzaman said that a coastguard team was conducting the search and rescue operation to trace the four missing students.

University treasurer Shariful Alam said that four teachers had already left for to St Martin’s. Assistant Director of Ahsania Mission Abdur Razzak is also there.