Youngest Bir Pratik Shahidul passes away
Shahidul Islam Lalu, the youngest freedom fighter to have received Bir Pratik award, passed away at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) yesterday.
He had been suffering from various diseases, including kidney ailments, says a press release.
He left behind his wife and four children.
The valiant freedom fighter had been passing his days amid financial hardship for the last six months. Both of his kidneys were damaged.
Two television presenters Khandaker Ismail and Hasan Ahmed Chowdhury Kiran arranged his treatment at the Kidney Hospital at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the city. Later, he was shifted to DMCH.
He was only 13 when he actively took part in the Liberation War.
As a freedom fighter, Shahidul did not receive any allowance although 38 years have elapsed since the liberation war, the press release added.
On March 27, he was given an amount of money for his treatment at a ceremony at the National Press Club.
Speaking on the occasion, Shahidul called upon all to be united to move the country forward.
He said, "We earned freedom in exchange for blood; you all try to safeguard the country."
"Stop fighting and be united to move the country forward."
"We fought not only to achieve independence, but also to remove political and economic discriminations," he added.
Comments