Two Years Since the Feni Mahipal Massacre, Outrage Over Delayed Justice, Mothers Plead for Action.

Staff Reporter ​Time has passed, and the stains of blood on the streets or the acrid smell of gunpowder may have faded, but the deep wounds in the hearts of the bereaved families remain untouched. Today, a bitter wait for justice echoes through the air. ​Today marks August 4, completing two years since the historic Mahipal massacre in Feni. ​On this day in 2024, thousands of students and ordinary citizens gathered beneath the Mahipal Flyover on the Feni-Chittagong Highway in support of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement's one-point demand. Carrying national flags and placards, the streets reverberated with calls for a just nation. Protesters even offered their afternoon prayers under the flyover. ​However, as the afternoon progressed, the atmosphere turned grim. According to eyewitnesses and case details, activists belonging to the then-ruling party launched an indiscriminate attack with firearms and crude bombs. In an instant, the peaceful gathering at Mahipal transformed into a blood-soaked battlefield. ​In the brutal violence that ensued, Ishtiaq Ahmed Shrabon, Sarwar Jahan Masud, Wakil Ahmed Shihab, Saidul Islam Shahi, Zakir Hossain Shakib, and Mohammad Sabuz lost their lives on the spot. College student Mahbubul Huq Masum, who sustained a gunshot wound to the head, succumbed to his injuries in the hospital three days later. Additionally, at least 150 people—including journalists—were shot and injured, many of whom could not even seek hospital treatment out of fear. Beyond Mahipal, several other youths from Feni were martyred in gunshots at CRB in Chittagong and in Dhaka during the July Movement. ​Families' Grief and a Sluggish Judicial Process ​Even after two years, the martyr families express deep frustration over the agonizingly slow pace of the investigation and trial process. ​"Our demand is very simple. Even after two years, the prime accused are still walking free. We want the charge sheets finalized quickly and the judicial process brought to a close," said Nesar Ahmed, father of the martyred Ishtiaq Ahmed Shrabon. ​Bibi Kulsum, the grieving mother of Sarwar Jahan Masud, shared her distress: ​"I will never get my child back, but my only plea to the government is for exemplary punishment for the killers." ​Similarly, Mahfuza Akhtar, mother of Wakil Ahmed Shihab, and Rehana Begum, mother of Saidul Islam Shahi, questioned why visible justice remains elusive when armed attackers were clearly identified in video footage. ​Muhaimin Tazim, a coordinator of the July Movement in Feni at the time, stated: ​"It is deeply tragic that families still have to shed tears over the trial of an open, public massacre. We demand swift justice based strictly on the law, free from any political considerations." ​Case Status and Police Response ​A total of 22 cases have been filed with the Feni Model Police Station in connection with the Mahipal killings and violence: ​7 Murder Cases ​15 Attempted Murder and Assault Cases ​Police have already submitted charge sheets for 14 of these cases to the court. ​Addressing the progress of the investigations, Feni Superintendent of Police Pratyush Kumar Majumder noted: ​"The primary gunmen went into hiding immediately after the incident. However, police are leveraging technology to identify and arrest the culprits. Highest priority is being given to concluding the investigation of all cases in the shortest possible time." ​While financial assistance has been provided by the state, the message from the families of the martyrs remains firm—true honor for the blood shed by their loved ones can only be achieved through the establishment of the rule of law and exemplary punishment for the perpetrators.