The death of 13-year-old school student Apratim has sparked grief across the country, with several members of the entertainment industry expressing concern over the circumstances surrounding his death and calling for a proper investigation and justice.
Apratim, a Class Seven student and the son of Cumilla University teacher Dr Nahida Begum, loved taking photographs of nature with a mobile phone. On Friday, 18 September, he left home in the afternoon with his mother’s iPhone to take photographs. He never returned.
After around 21 hours, his body was recovered on Saturday, 19 September, from a forested area of Lalmai hills near Cumilla University. The circumstances surrounding his death are being investigated by the relevant authorities.
The incident has also raised concerns about crimes involving expensive mobile phones. Actor Omar Sani recently questioned whether iPhones were becoming a “death trap” because of the risks associated with their high value.
In a social media post, Sani said he had recently told his wife, actress Moushumi, that when a new iPhone entered the market, he hoped it would not lead to situations in which people’s lives were put at risk.
He expressed concern that expensive phones could become a reason for snatching and other crimes.
Sani also urged people to think about why anyone would risk causing such a serious tragedy over something so small. He warned that although someone might think they could commit a crime and escape, nothing remains hidden from the Creator.
He ended his message by urging everyone to stay away from such crimes.
The tragedy has deeply affected members of the entertainment industry. Actor Siam Ahmed said he found it difficult to look at Apratim’s photograph because, after becoming a father, reports of a child’s death immediately make him think of his own child.
“I cannot look at Apratim’s photograph for long. Since becoming a father, whenever I hear news like this about a child, I repeatedly see my own child’s face before my eyes. A child left home in the afternoon to take photographs, but never returned. I do not know whether there can be a more frightening wait or news for a parent,” Siam wrote on Facebook.
He expressed his condolences to Apratim’s parents and family and called for the truth to emerge through a proper investigation.
“What Apratim’s parents and family are going through cannot really be expressed in words. My deepest condolences to them. The correct answers to what happened and why it happened must emerge through an investigation. The truth must not be suppressed in any way. Justice must be ensured with the utmost honesty. Apratim, you were not supposed to leave this way. As a father, I can only say today that we all have a responsibility to create a safer world for our children,” he wrote.
Actor Tawsif Mahbub also reacted to the incident, saying society had placed excessive value on expensive phones.
“We have glorified the iPhone so much that it has become more valuable than a human life. The fault is ours,” Tawsif wrote.
Actress Puja Chery described Apratim’s death as heartbreaking and said she could not accept that a mother’s only child and a family’s hopes could be lost so suddenly.
“Seeing the news of Apratim’s tragic death has left me deeply saddened. A mother’s only child, a family’s dream—how can anyone accept that such a life could end so prematurely? The death of a child like this leaves a deep mark of grief not only on one family but on all of us. My deepest condolences and prayers are with Apratim’s family. May the Creator give them the strength to bear this irreparable loss,” she wrote.
Puja also called for those responsible to be brought to justice.
“Let the truth emerge through a proper investigation and let those responsible be brought under the law. That is what I hope for. Apratim, may you rest in peace. My endless love and prayers are with you,” she wrote.
Actor Irfan Sajjad expressed both grief and anger over the incident. Raising concerns about safety and the justice system, he questioned whether Bangladesh could become safe when cases involving apparent evidence do not result in justice.
“Ah, this child! As Bangladeshis, perhaps our biggest dream should be to leave Bangladesh. Those who have already left have escaped this cursed country. Everyone talks about the dream of a golden Bangladesh, but no one can build even a minimally safe Bangladesh. And a country where there is no justice even when there is direct evidence will never be safe,” he wrote.
Sajjad also urged parents to prioritise their children’s safety, saying, “If you have the means and the opportunity, leave this country, so that your child does not leave home on an ordinary Friday afternoon and return as a corpse.”
Popular television actor Ziaul Faruk Apurba also called for greater awareness about children’s safety and urged parents to remain more cautious.
In a Facebook post on Saturday, 19 September, Apurba said every child has the basic right to grow up safely, while repeated acts of brutality against children reflect a serious decline in society and conscience.
“Every child deserves a safe childhood,” he wrote, calling for greater awareness to prevent such incidents.
The reactions from the artistes have highlighted both the grief surrounding Apratim’s death and wider concerns about public safety.
His family and many members of the public are now waiting for the investigation to establish what happened and for those responsible, if identified, to face legal action.
