Two years after losing their only son during the July uprising, the parents of Faisal Ahmed Shanto report that they are still waiting for justice, while struggling to rebuild their lives.
Every knock on the door now brings a sense of deep uncertainty for Kohinur Akter and her husband, Zakir Hossain.
While some visitors arrive at their home to offer their sympathy, others come with specific requests, asking the grieving parents to intervene so that certain individuals can be removed from the legal case filed over their son’s killing.
For Shanto’s parents, each of these visits revives the immense pain of losing their only child and serves to deepen their fears about what the future holds. Kohinur told TIMES of Bangladesh that they want the trial to be completed quickly and the resulting verdict to be implemented.
She noted that although people frequently approach them seeking intervention to have names removed from the case, the family’s priority is that the actual perpetrators are punished.
Shanto, who was the only son of Kohinur and Zakir, was shot and killed on 16 July 2024 during the student-led anti-quota protests in Muradpur, Chattogram.
At the time, he was a student of MES College and was among those killed as the movement against the quota system evolved into a broader student uprising against the government of the then prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
On that tragic day in Muradpur, Shanto was one of three people shot dead, alongside Mohammad Faruk, a furniture shop worker, and Wasim Akram, a student at Chattogram College.
Although more than a year has since passed, Kohinur explains that the family continues to live in a state of constant fear. She revealed that they have received indirect threats and remain deeply uncertain about the true intentions of many of those who visit them.
Kohinur stated that because they are frequently approached by various individuals and journalists whom they do not know, they live in fear that while there may be good people among them, there may also be “bad people.”
Consequently, the family has stated that they expect full protection from the government.
The legal case regarding Shanto’s killing was filed by his father before the International Crimes Tribunal and names 77 accused individuals, with former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina listed as the lead accused.
For Shanto’s parents, this case represents far more than a standard legal proceeding; it is their last hope of securing justice for their only child.
The tragedy has also resulted in severe financial hardship, as Kohinur explained that her husband’s business in their village was forced to close following their son’s death.
She noted that their lives changed completely after the incident and, although the government assured them that employment opportunities would be organised for the family, that promise remains unfulfilled.
With everything remaining uncertain, the parents view justice as the possibility of finding a measure of peace and finally being able to live without fear. Kohinur concluded by urging the government to complete the trial as quickly as possible.
