The colour of henna in Akhi Akhter Ashamoni's hands has not dried yet. She lost her husband Rashidul Islam only 22 days after their marriage. On the morning of 5 August, garment worker Rashidul Islam was shot and killed when he joined the mass upsurge. Bashundhara Shuvosangho has stood by this helpless family amid no assistance from anyone else.

Members of Bashundhara Shuvosangho, on behalf of Bashundhara Group, handed over food aid to the family of Rashidul. Rashidul's father Bachchu Mia and mother Aleya Begum were present on behalf of the deceased's family. Rashidul's permanent residence is in Kathgirai village of Nunkhawa union of Nageshwari upazila under Kurigram district.

But that dream suddenly turned into a nightmare. Mourning is still going on in his house. Rashidul's sister-in-law Mousumi Khatun said, "With my husband Alamgir Hossain, we live in the Jatrabari intersection in Dhaka. My husband drives a rickshaw and I work in a garment factory. My younger brother-in-law Rashidul visited us there only 5 days ago. After getting married, he took a new job in Adamjee Garments. He served for only two days. And then all these things happened."

Rashidul's wife Ashamoni said, "I could not imagine that my husband would leave me like this. He is supposed to come after three months. But he returned as a corpse. I want justice. We don't know what will happen next. Many thanks to Bashundhara Group for standing by me at this time."

Rashidul's father-in-law Akizul Islam said, "My daughter is young. She has the entire life left ahead of her. Now we two families will sit together and then decide. We will do what is good."

Bachchu Mia, the father of the victim, said, "May Allah bless you all. May Allah keep Bashundhara Group well. The youngest chap of the house has gone like this. I never thought that anything like this would happen. Now we have to consider the situation of his wife. We two families will sit together and then decide what we will do."

Bd pratidin English/Lutful Hoque