Tahir Zaman Priyo is among the five journalists killed during the July–August mass uprising. He was shot dead in Dhaka by security forces while on duty on July 19, 2024.
Priyo, a videographer and freelance video journalist, was formerly associated with the online news portal The Report 24, which he had left about six months prior to his death.
On the afternoon of July 19, around 5:00pm, Priyo was covering anti-quota student protests in the Science Lab area when police and security forces opened fire. A bullet struck him in the head, and he collapsed on the spot.
His mother, Shamsi Ara Zaman, filed a case with New Market Police Station on August 20, 2024, accusing former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, the station’s officer-in-charge, and 30 to 35 members of the Armed Police Battalion (APBN) for their involvement in the killing.
The case was also submitted to the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) a month later.
Priyo’s family remains doubtful about whether justice will be served, pointing to the lack of any visible progress in the case and its investigation.
Despite assurances from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Shamsi Ara expressed frustration over the delay in trial proceedings. Officials informed her that five to seven individuals could be brought to justice by February, but legal complexities continue to stall the process.
Speaking to Times of Bangladesh on Monday, she said families of the slain will not stay silent. “Neither the children nor those who joined the movement for justice will back down. No matter which government comes next, the demand for justice will continue.”
She also described the emotional trauma endured by Priyo’s young daughter, Paromita. “She carries a doll everywhere and calls it her ‘dear father.’ Just days ago, during a video call, she asked me, ‘When will my dear father call me?’
She turned her face away to hide her tears,” said Shamsi Ara. “The emptiness we feel cannot be described.”