Babanpur, Bangladesh — A year after a wave of nationwide protests swept through Bangladesh, Abu Sayed’s family is still demanding justice for his killing by police. Sayed, 24, was shot four times at close range outside his university on July 16 last year, sparking widespread unrest and the eventual ousting of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The protests, which began as demands to reform civil service job quotas, quickly shifted to calls for Hasina’s resignation. The demand was simple: she had to go. She eventually fled to India by helicopter, facing charges of crimes against humanity in Bangladesh.
A tribunal has been set up to investigate deaths during the protests, but progress is slow. Critics argue that the new government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, has failed to address issues like mob violence and attacks on women and minority groups.
Abu Sayed’s family says his death was a tragic loss for Bangladesh, and they demand accountability from those responsible. “Abu Sayed gave his life for his country,” his father, Mokbul Hussein, said in an interview. “Now I ask the government for justice.” Only when this happens, he added, will he and his wife find peace.
The protests highlighted deep-seated issues in Bangladesh’s politics, including corruption, human rights abuses, and authoritarian rule. While some see the new government as a chance to reform years of repression, others are growing increasingly disillusioned with its inability to address these problems.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2025/08/05/nx-s1-5483896/bangladesh-uprising-anniversary