On 18 July 2024, 17-year-old student Farhan Faiyaaz was killed in police firing during the student protest.
A year later, his father still carries the weight of that loss—both emotionally and spiritually.
“The heaviest thing in the world is a child’s dead body on the father’s shoulder. How painful, agonising, and heartbreaking it is to carry such a burden—only Almighty Allah knows, or those who, like me, have lost a child.”
These were the words of Shahidul Islam Bhuiyan, father of Mohammad Farhanul Islam Bhuiyan (Farhan Faiyaaz), during an interview with Dhaka Tribune. His voice still trembles under the weight of that memory.
A date etched in pain
For the Bhuiyan family, July 18, 2024 is not just a date—it is an open wound.
“Every month, when the 18th comes, unbearable pain returns. I cry during prayers but go behind my daughter and wife so they don’t see it.”
Shahidul remembers the day vividly.
“When I left for work, Farhan had just finished Fajr prayers and gone to sleep. Around 2:30pm, I got a call—he had been shot, and his condition was not good. It felt like the ground beneath me had disappeared.”
He rushed to City Hospital—on foot, by rickshaw, running—only to find Farhan on life support.
“I kept praying, ‘O Allah, give my son back to me.’ But he was already gone.”
Shahidul said the hospital was surrounded by Chhatra League members, who allegedly blocked access to care.
“They even told doctors not to give proper treatment.”
From there, Farhan’s body was brought home for bathing and janaza. At the request of his friends, the first janaza was held at the Dhaka Residential Model School and College field before Maghrib.
The family then travelled to Narayanganj for his burial. On the way, they were attacked in Kakrail and Jatrabari and had to show his death certificate at roadblocks. Farhan was finally laid to rest in their village after a second janaza.
A life of promise, a death of sacrifice
One of Farhan’s friends later told Shahidul, “Farhan took my bullet. He saw me about to be shot and stepped forward.”
Farhan had stood in front of his friends and juniors during the anti-discrimination protest. He was shot in the chest between 1:45 and 2:15pm in front of Genetic Plaza at Dhanmondi 27.
“If I ever face the shooter, I’ll ask—what crime had my 17-year-old son committed? Didn’t your hand tremble even once while pulling the trigger?”
That morning, Farhan had left home late.
“Around 10:30, he got a friend’s call, freshened up, picked up his bag, gave salam to his mother, and left around 11:30am. His mother had tried to stop him several times,” said Shahidul.
Farhan was gentle, cheerful, and deeply religious. He never missed a prayer and regularly prayed Tahajjud. He had entered Dhaka Residential Model School and College in class three, securing tenth place in a highly competitive test.
As a grade eleven science student, he was known for his quick learning and creativity. His teachers only needed to explain once. Farhan was active in events, built innovative projects, and dreamed of becoming a scientist or genetic engineer. He planned to study in the UK and return to serve his country.
“I’m not saying this just because he was my son—he was full of potential. The state lost a gem,” Shahidul said.
A turning point
Farhan’s sister, Saima Islam Farin, still struggles with the loss.
“Right after he became a martyr, our aunt Nazia Khan posted on Facebook—‘This is my Farhan Faiyaaz. He is dead now. I want justice.’ That post went viral on July 18 and spread across the country and abroad. A storm of protest followed—no one could stay silent anymore, she said.
Farhan’s death became a turning point. What began as a quota reform movement evolved into a mass uprising. Even international observers, including the UK and US, took notice.
“When I enter his room, everything is still arranged—but he’s not there. Since childhood, he was full of patriotism. Now, I don’t even feel like calling anyone ‘bhaiya’—the word alone makes my chest tremble.”
“If I ever meet the one who shot him, I’d ask—what did my brother do wrong? He hadn’t harmed anyone. He was unarmed. He only joined a protest. Is that why you shot him like a bird?” Saima asked.
Farhan’s Facebook bio read: “One day you will leave this world behind, so live a life you will remember.”
And that’s what he did. He lived a life that people will remember for generations.
A legacy written in blood
18 July will remain etched in the nation’s memory. The blood of Shaheed Farhan Faiyaaz cannot be wiped away. No matter how hard anyone tries, the memory of the uprising—and the sacrifices that fueled it—cannot be erased.
But whether those sacrifices will lead to real change remains the most haunting question—for his family and for every loved one left behind.
