Slain BUET student Sony's father dies of cancer

Habibur Rahman Bhuiyan, the father of Sabikunnahar Sony, who died in the crossfire between two factions of the Chhatra Dal two decades ago, has died after a battle with cancer.

Habibur passed away at IBN Sina Specialized Hospital in Dhaka on Saturday without seeing justice for his daughter’s death. He had been undergoing treatment at the hospital for several days after being diagnosed with cancer in September last year, reports bdnews24.com.  

He will be laid to rest beside his parents at his family graveyard at Bijeshwar in Brahmanbaria Sadar, Habibur’s nephew Prof Mamun Molla said.

Sony, a student of the Chemical Engineering batch of 1999, was shot dead in a gunfight between two groups of Chhatra Dal, the student wing of the BNP, over BUET tenders in 2002.

A father of three children, Habibur worked at BTCL. His wife Dilara Begum worked at Sonali Bank. Habibur initiated a movement demanding a ‘violence-free campus’ after he lost his daughter in the gunfight. He became the face of the movement.

His health condition worsened quite quickly after being diagnosed with cancer, his son Maksudur Rahman Rana said.

He used to talk about his elder daughter Sony despite his difficulty speaking, said Rana.

“He was frustrated that those responsible for Sony’s death have not been punished in 19 years.”

Sony was caught in the middle of the gunfight between the groups led by BUET Chhatra Dal President Mokammel Hayat Khan Muki and Tagar in Dhaka University’s SM Hall.

A case was filed after a long protest and the lower court sentenced Muki, Tagar and Nurul Islam Sagar to death.

The High Court changed the death sentence to life imprisonment and acquitted SM Masum Billah in its verdict in 2006.

Muki fled to Australia and Sagar went into hiding as well. Tagar is in jail.

Different student organisations at BUET observe the death anniversary of Sony as ‘Student Protest Day against Violence.’ Also, the Sony Memorial Foundation observes Jun 8 as a ‘violence-free campus’ day.

The BUET administration named the female students’ hall ‘Sabikunnahar Sony Hall' following demands from students.