'Going to the protest, pray for me': Father tells tribunal of son's killing

"Abbu, I'm going to the protest. Pray for me." These were the last words Pintu Rahman heard from his son Russel Rana, a garment worker in Narayanganj, before he was shot in the chest during the July uprising, the father told the International Crimes Tribunal-1 today (3 September).

Russel died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital three days after being shot on 19 July 2024.

Pintu today gave his testimony as the fourth witness in a case over alleged crimes against humanity committed in Narayanganj during the uprising. 

Former MP Shamim Osman, his son Ayon Osman, nephew Azmeri Osman, and nine others are accused in the case. All the accused are absconding.

In his testimony, Pintu said Russel worked at a factory in Narayanganj with his cousin Bulbul. On the afternoon of 19 July, Russel called home and asked about his family before telling his father that he was going to join the protest.

"At around 6:30pm, someone called me from my son's friend's phone and asked if I was Russel's father. When I said yes, they told me Russel had been shot in the chest and was being taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital," Pintu said.

Pintu, who lives in Naogaon, said he could not travel to Dhaka because of the curfew. He sent Bulbul and his cousin Rafiqul to the hospital instead. "Around 7:30am on 22 July, Bulbul called and told me my son had died at Dhaka Medical," he said.

Pintu said he asked Bulbul to bring Russel's body to their home in Naogaon. After the funeral prayers, Russel was buried in the family graveyard.

The father said he later learned from newspapers, Facebook and YouTube that Shamim Osman, Ayon, Azmeri, and several Awami League and affiliated leaders had allegedly fired at protesters in the Chashara area on 19 July.

He alleged that the accused and their associates moved towards BB Road and Nayamati around 6pm while firing indiscriminately at protesters. "Many people recorded videos of the incident and witnessed it. My son was shot and killed by the accused," Pintu said.

According to the prosecution, Shamim Osman was involved in a broader plan to suppress the uprising and personally took part in shootings. It alleges that he led an armed group of 11 other accused in Narayanganj with the approval of then Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader.

The first of three charges in the case concerns the killing of six people – including teenager Adil, Yasin, student Parvez, garment worker Russel and six-year-old Ria Gop – in Chashara, Signboard and surrounding areas on 19 July.

The second charge concerns the killings of Abdur Rahman and Mohammad Rakib at Bhuiagarh bus stand in Fatullah on 21 July. The third charge concerns the killings of Badiuzzaman and Abul Hasan on 5 August.