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Published : 27 Jul 2025, 02:29 AM
Wasim Akram, a leader of the BNP’s student wing Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, died before Rangpur’s Abu Sayed to become the first martyr of the July Uprising, Chattogram City Corporation Mayor Shahadat Hossain claims.
Speaking at an event in the city marking the anniversary of the July Uprising on Saturday afternoon, the BNP leader said: “Were BNP activists not present during those 36 days? Then how did Wasim Akram die?
“He was a member of the Chhatra Dal’s convening committee at Chittagong College. I still remember the day -- 16th of July, 2024 -- when he went to join the movement.
“He went to Muradpur for the protest and uploaded a photo, which he sent to my WhatsApp. He was with one of our doctors from Cox’s Bazar and another youth named Jahir. Soon after, news came that he had been shot. I told Jahir to take him to the hospital immediately, but he died on the way.”
Shahadat, former convenor of BNP’s Chattogram city unit, continued: “If I say Wasim Akram is not only the first martyr of Chattogram but the first martyr of Bangladesh in this movement, I wouldn't be wrong, even though we often hesitate to say that.
“We are not denying Abu Sayed’s contribution. But if we consider the timing of their deaths, Wasim Akram died between 4:30pm and 5pm on the 16th of July. Abu Sayed died later that night.”
He added, “Often we see Wasim Akram is not given the recognition he deserves, just because he was a Chhatra Dal activist. That’s his only fault.
“A few days ago, [Muhammad] Yunus, our chief advisor, was here. A programme was being held at Chittagong University. Someone told me Wasim Akram’s name wasn’t on the list there.
“If the name of Chattogram’s first martyr is absent and he’s not recognised at that event, then I won’t attend. That day, we had lunch at the Circuit House. All the secretaries were there, including the cabinet secretary, and around seven advisors. I spoke about this before them.”
On Jul 16 last year, Wasim had posted a Facebook status saying, “Come to Sholoshohor”, before joining the anti-quota protest.
He posted the status around 2pm. By around 4:30pm, police reported his death. Three people died in Chattogram that day.
Wasim was a third-year Sociology student at Chattogram College and served as a joint convenor of Chhatra Dal’s college unit. He was from the Mehernama area of Cox’s Bazar’s Pekua Upazila.
On that same day, six people died in protests across the country amid protests calling for quota reforms in government jobs.
In addition to three people in Chattogram, two died in Dhaka and one in Rangpur -- Abu Sayed, a student at Begum Rokeya University’s English department. He hailed from Babunpur village in Pirganj Upazila.
Regarding Sayed’s death, Dr Md Yunus Ali, director of Rangpur Medical College Hospital, told bdnews24.com that day: “The student was brought to the emergency department shortly after 4pm on the 16th of July with gunshot wounds. He was already dead by then.”
Speaking at Saturday’s event about the two protesters, Shahadat said: “There’s an inferiority complex when it comes to Wasim Akram, just because he was in Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal. They don’t want to acknowledge his martyrdom. But I told them -- no mass uprising has ever succeeded through one person’s contribution alone. It takes collective effort.”
“In fact, from the very beginning of this movement, our leader Tarique Rahman has played a significant role. He has consistently spoken out from London in support of this movement.”
He added, “Our activists who were arrested and spent years in jail didn’t suffer for personal reasons. They went to jail after speaking out for the people of Bangladesh, to defend democratic rights.”
“So no one can hijack a movement in just 36 days. What we see as a 36-day movement is actually the result of 16 years of struggle. And Chhatra Dal members, opposition activists, workers, students, youths, women, and housewives -- everyone participated in this battle.”
Recalling the events of Aug 3 last year, the Chattogram mayor said: “That day, fires were set at my house, alongside Khorshed Bhai’s (Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury), Mir Nasir’s, and Ershad Ullah’s homes. But we didn’t hear of fires at anyone else’s home. My mother was trapped that day.
“Even on 3rd August or the 4th, did we think Sheikh Hasina would flee? Even if she didn’t, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party would have continued the struggle it has carried on for 16 years. We wouldn’t have backed down. That’s why I believe we must all remain united and move toward a democratic election.”
The event’s chief guest was BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury. The keynote speaker was AZM Zahid Hossain, also a Standing Committee member and central coordinator of BNP-aligned Sammilita Peshajibi Parishad (Combined Professionals' Council).
