Even after a year has passed since the martyrdom of Titu Hawlader and Liton Matubbar in the July Uprising, their families in Betagi, Barguna, are still unable to cope with the grief.
Md. Titu Hawlader, a 35-year-old youth martyred in the uprising, was born into an extremely poor family in the remote village of South Hosnabad under Hosnabad Union of the upazila.
While the first anniversary of the uprising was celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervor, Titu’s father, Abdur Rahim Hawlader, remains devastated by the loss of his son.
Recalling their father, Titu and Ayesha’s eldest daughter, 11-year-old Mosammat Tanzila, often breaks down in tears—tears that are impossible to hold back. Their other children are 8-year-old Saimun and 1-year-4-month-old Tamanna.
Titu, a private car driver, was shot dead on 19 July 2024 in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi area while leaving for work. His mother, Rasheda Begum, had died from a snake bite four years before this incident. In hopes of easing their financial hardship, Titu had left home on 11 July 2024 to work in Dhaka as a private car driver for Dr. Md. Sakhawat Alam of Green Life Hospital. However, fate had something else in store. He was shot during the student-public protest and died, leaving his family in deep despair.
A visit to the family on the anniversary revealed their overwhelming grief. The family, having lost their only earning member, is engulfed in sorrow. Titu’s elderly father was seen sitting silently beside his son’s grave, as if waiting for him to return. “We’ve lost everything. My precious son was shot like a bird. I demand justice,” he said.
Titu’s wife, Ayesha Begum, is still unable to accept the death of her husband even after a year. Struggling to raise her children alone, she shared that Titu last left home for Dhaka on 11 July. On 19 July, during clashes over the quota reform movement in Dhaka, Titu had just finished lunch and was heading to work when he was caught in the chaos in Dhanmondi and shot in the head, dying on the spot.
At the time, there was no food at home. Just 8 days later, a relative called to deliver the shocking news that Titu was in critical condition at Green Life Hospital. His brain was exposed. Later, his body was brought home and buried in the family graveyard.
No murder case has been filed by the family. Tearful relatives say they still can’t believe Titu is gone—his memories haunt them constantly. They demand swift justice against those responsible for his killing.
Titu’s brother, Md. Rakib Hasan, said, “With one bullet from a tyrant regime, my brother’s children became orphans. All dreams of a settled family are now shattered. I urge the government to ensure exemplary punishment for those who killed my brother.”
Martyr Liton Matubbar:
Liton Matubbar, a young man from Meher Gazi Karuna village in Hosnabad Union, was working as a tile mason in Dhaka’s Badda area. The vacuum left by his death can never be filled. Even after a year, his family still mourns deeply. They hope the sacrifices of the martyrs are not rendered meaningless.
Relatives say Liton had been living in Badda for 20 years. On 18 July, during the quota reform protests, police clashed with students. While crossing the road on his way to work, Liton was shot and wounded.
His elder brother, Bashir Matubbar, said that after being shot, Liton was admitted to Kurmitola Hospital in Dhaka where he later died. His body was then taken to Suhrawardy Medical College for autopsy. The next day, the family brought the body home and buried him in the family graveyard.
Family members said Liton was the sole breadwinner for their six-member household. His income supported the treatment of their physically disabled father. Although 35 years old, he remained unmarried, prioritizing his father’s care. Liton had three siblings.
Liton’s 70-year-old father, Tayeb Ali, sat silently in a corner of the house, occasionally calling out, “Liton... Liton... son, when will you come home again?” He said, “My son actively participated in the movement to topple the fascist government and became a martyr for the country. He dreamed of getting married and taking care of the family to make it self-sufficient.”
According to both families, so far, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has provided Tk 300,000 per martyr. The Prime Minister’s Office has given Tk 1 million per person in FDR.
Besides, the July Martyrs Memorial Foundation has contributed Tk 500,000 per person.
