This April is the eleventh year of my losing my dear brother, A.K.M. Rehan Ahsan. Still after all these years, the pain seems as if I underwent it on that very dreadful day. my brother Rehan was not only the brother, he used to help me, support me and he was the center of our house. His laughter warmed our home, his dreams provided inspiration to us and principles to make us into better people. His passing in my eyes wasn’t the loss of a father figure or a friend or even a provider, although he was all of those things; it was the loss of the torch that shone through the darkness in life.

Rehan was martyred on May 5, 2013, at Shapla Chattar Massacre, was not only a tragedy rather it was injustice with my family. Looking at his life, his courage and the barbaric way he was killed and humiliation makes me feel grief and loss, pride for a man who was so courageous and determined for his people and makes me determined to fight for justice for such a man. It is this story, our story: a call for justice that has yet to be served for the brother that was silenced far too soon. 

Childhood and Family Life

Rehan was born on September 9, 1989 and the day my mother refers to as the happiest day of her life. Right from the day when he was born he brightened up everyone’s day and spread happiness around him. He just appeared to be the second born of our family we did not give much attention to him as was with the first born child. Someone asked to know Rehan more closely and I could see that Rehan was curious, mischievous, and never endingly kind. He was such a child who would like to swap his most favored toy with another one, although the latter did not have any toy at all.

Rehan was an avid learner all his life and they really helped him develop this passion. He could while away time just reading books, tearing apart toys and gadgets because he wanted to know how they were put together or asking question after question about things. He had a fondness for science and most of the time he used to plan for creating a new invention in the field of technology. I remember my father would always utter, in jest, that Rehan would invent something one day that would actually transform the world. We had no idea that his dreams would be aborted before he could even begin.

As a brother he could not have been any better – he was protective, tolerant, and a good listener. He was the one I turn to whenever I had something to say, fully aware he would never fail to understand me. From supporting me in my assignments and homework to motivating me to become something in life or just giving me humor when I was s, Rehan was my support system. This is especially so, when now, in my daily decision making, I still ask myself: “Would Rehan do this” inside my head.

Academic and Personal Achievements

Rehan’s brilliance shone in every facet of his life, but it was most evident in his academics. He was a brilliant student from his early childhood; he has always been on the honor roll at school. His teachers have described him mainly as intelligent, inquisitive and motivated student with very good working knowledge.

Rehan was an uninterruptible scholar with outstanding achievements in his academic life. While in High School he was a star performer, scoring distinction at the Government Laboratory High School. He took this excellence along with him in Dhaka City College and like before got the first position there making our family and his teachers very proud of him.

He also possessed innate quantitative ability to reason and compute and simple belief in his potential helped the young man reach and compete at the International Math Olympiad for Bangladesh. Into the international level he tried to compete which was a great honor for him and showed his talent along with rigorous hard work. But it did not stop at that for him, he remained enamored with mathematics. Rehan was very proud when he gave his time and effort to introduce young students into Math Olympiad training sessions from scratch without expecting anything in return. He was selfless doting individual, mentorship was part of his character, he was good heart, non-judgmental and eager to help the oppressed.

The moment Rehan got selected at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) was really a moment of great achievement for our family. When it comes to decision making, it was quite easy for him to decide to study Computer Science and Engineering since it matched his interests right from technology, innovation, right down to solving problems.

Rehan was not only a brilliant student at BUET but also inspire the people there and had a good reputation. For instance, he was the kind of person who would sacrifice several hours solving a topic for a struggling fellow class-mate. He was always at the top of his class in coding competitions, composed parts of an awesome research project, and wished to apply his skills in the enhanced creation of change in the society.

Aside from education, Rehan was a very versatile, active-minded man. He enjoyed music and was gifted at playing the guitar and periods of family home sometime was warded by his melody. His ingeniousness in humor earned him a reputation of a joy giver, people followed keenly his every word as soon as he entered the room.

However, there is one thing that which can be stated for certain: Rehan always sought to live according to his beliefs. For him faith means not only a belief but a life stance based on justice, compassion and integrity. He remained uncompromising with principles and would always rise to the highest level of strength in the face of challenges.

Rehan’s Beliefs and Principles

This created man’s religious faith as the basis of his character that affected every component of his life. He was a religious man and his religion was not restricted to mere kid partners and

chanting it was about justice, fair treatment of each other and being truthful. It was the duty to act upon faith, fight for justice regardless of how difficult or unpopular position one had.

It is noteworthy that up until May 2013, Rehan has become rather an active proclaimer of his opinion on inequality he witnesses in society. His position was influenced by the feelings of disliking the Shahbagh Movement which, in his opinion, were vulgar to the perception of his moral code. He saw it as not only an appearance of a struggle but a way by which the authorities cracked down on the opposition and persecuted those who dared defy the Saudi system in defence of Islam. These bigotry insults troubling him he was offended by some bloggers who perpetrated insults on the person of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Such insults Rehan could not allow; He felt it was his responsibility, his mandate as a man of faith and principle to open his mouth and be counted.

He must have known consequences of marching with Hefazat protest on May 5, 2013, before joining the protest. But for Rehan, his fear was vice-versa of what Hazrat Yousuf ‘s was; it was not as irresistible as his courage and his convictions were. “If we don’t stand up now” he said to me something that will remain as a parting shot, “when will we?”

Rehan has commitment to justice and is ready for the danger for the sake of his faith throughout the show. What he attempted was not just the defiance but selflessness stating values and love for entity and causes they ideologically supported.

The Tragic Events of May 5, 2013

We were two normal people getting up to proceed to what we assumed was a typical day which turned out to be a nightmare that changed the lives of several people in a world whose days looked all alike. My brother Rehan like thousand other men went to Shapla Chattar with hope filled in their heart. They thought that when united, they could shout and demand respect and justice from their fellow citizens of the world. No one could say anything about the fact that the was not violent; it was an act of resistance; then came the horror.

When it was dark, the state brought its force to bear on the protesters. Stinking smoke filled the air, bullets penetrated defenseless humans, and nobody knew what they were doing. The streets of Dhaka turned into a theater of liberal use of violence with people screaming for mercy. When morning came, death and destruction had followed everyone like a shadow. Blood splattered in each area, and the losses were high. Despite other sources putting the death toll at over 200, the number released by the Odhikar society and government, 67, says nothing of the horror. Many of the victims were innocent children studying in madrasa, of which majority were even orphans. What happened in Motijhil Shapla Chattar was not a dispersion of protesters; it was genocide. Among the countless lives lost that night was my brother’s.

It still brings me a lot of memory up until this very day. I shall remember vividly the day my mother fainted more so when we identified his dead body in the Dhaka Medical College Emergency Morgue. She called out his name to the top of her voice, “Rehan” as if her voice of one could wake him from the dead to join us. This was not just the scream of the night which pierces the darkness and cuts through all the layer of a person.

And when we went out to look for him, I dropped dead. On an inadequate and narrow stretcher my brother stiff and frozen. He’s big built man with thin and disconnected hair being combed backward – the earlier lively, the later – gloomy. But, if it is true that there although amidst this tragedy I am sure I saw him smile and that was my mind playing on me due to the condition. Allah had accepted his martyrdom anyway it was, much better that way than thinking it was his final chance at success.

All were stolen from me; my brother who was so young and promising they buried. The optimistic looking forward to the young man’s future, were extinguished as if someone snuffed out the light and the dreams we had for him perished in that menacing night. But his death is more than just an example of how the life of a brilliant mathematician, still a promising men, tragically ended. It also comes as reminder about the political calculation of the now fascist Awami regime to freely go ahead and kill hundreds of innocent residents in an effort to teach a lesson of never to indulge in political dissent. Their voices still speak to this day, the blood cries in our souls, and not a single drop of blood is ever to be wasted let alone in vain. This was not the loss of Rehan or a family member, or children and parents, friends, brothers and sisters, it was the loss of human beings. You know, these were not ordinary dead, the lost dear souls of innocent madrasa students, young men and orphans, they need more than burial, they need remembrance; they need an accountability. My brother’s act is engraved in our memories a reminder that we must always prevent such tragedies from happening again.

The Aftermath and Family’s Struggles

The death of Rehan was not only a close familiar loss but also a loss to the nation. They tried to create a culture of fear and pressure that we as Black men knew all too well from the times of segregation. The authorities encouraged us to give him a rapid burial so that we did not disclose how he died to anybody. My mother was asked whether Rehan had any connection with any political party as if that would in any way explain what was done to him.

My father already lost his son and he could not afford to and the grief was too much for him. Suddenly within a year’s time he was no more, they say, and my mother was left to bear this unbearable pain of such a loss. We have stayed quiet for so long, not daring to open our mouths. But silence cannot help to alleviate the suffering; that’s why it is even more terrible to endure. I still can’t forget the fact that to seek the justice for my brother, me and my family faced numerous backlash from within and outside the walls of my sphere.

Seeking Justice and the Legacy He Left Behind

It wasn’t until August 2024, when the political landscape began to change, that my mother found the courage to file a case under International Crimes Tribunal. For the first time, Department of Computer Science and Engineering of BUET along with BUET CSE 2009 batch remembered my brother, we felt like we could speak without fear. “This is for Rehan,” My mother cried and said, “but it’s also for every family that has suffered like we have.”

Rehan’s legacy lives on in the values he stood for—faith, courage, and justice. His life may have been cut short, but his impact remains. Every day, I strive to live in a way that honors him, to carry forward the light he brought into our lives. 

A Brother’s Eternal Light

Today, I want to pay tribute to Rehan Vaia, which is no longer with us, but will always remain remembered. We could still hear your laughter in our hearts, we could still see your dream come alive and still feel your courage in us. I told him that his lost 2013 was not in vain. It caused a stir that continued up to the year 2024 when the oppressed had enough voice to rattle the thrones of oppression.

You didn’t just witness an event; in your protest, a movement began. The fear you and others demonstrated sowed the seeds that you would reap the fruits of a revolution of justice and freedom years later. That is why, Rehan Vaia, Allah Himself has deemed your sacrifice worth protecting and symbolizing abdication, the truth.

As students and citizens rebelled again in 2024, we could sense you in every shout, every protest, every attempt at standing up against tyranny. People felt anxious during this time because they avoided retrograding his guidance in leading them towards justice. The glory our family has enjoyed since then is a sure pointer to the impact you continue to have. Your name is said with honor, your life is celebrated, and your death is a teaching on how to die with dignity fighting for what is right.

We have lost our loved ones and our tears turn into hopes and smiles because of you. It is God’s graciousness that He has shown us the strength through recall of the survivor whom I loved dearly. We know you have nothing to fear; that you are at rest in the uppermost region of Jannah with the warriors and righteous.

Rehan Vaia, to me you were more than a brother and you were my hope. Your light will never fade. Your bravery remains a call to demand justice, to live and to fulfill our faith which you esteemed so much. You may be physically absent from this world but your spirit will never die for the lives you touched and people who continue striving to a change a world ruled by the haves and have nots. My dear brother, may you rest in peace, Ameen, as you lived your life the way you wanted to.

Faria Soroni serves as a Research Assistant in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at North South University.