By Sumi Khan
Dhaka, Feb 12 (IANS): Habibur Rahman Bhuiyan, who initiated a movement demanding a 'violence-free campus' after he lost his daughter in
a gunfight between two groups of Chhatra Dal in Dhaka University's SM Hall, has passed away.
Habibur, a father of three, passed away on Saturday battling cancer. He was diagnosed with cancer on September 1, 2021 and was undergoing treatment at a hospital.
"He was frustrated that those responsible for Sony's death have not been punished in 19 years. He used to talk about his elder daughter Sony despite having difficulty in speaking, Habibur's son Rana said.
Bhuriyan's daughter Sony, a student of the Chemical Engineering batch of 1999, was caught in the middle of the gunfight between the groups led by BUET Chhatra Dal President Mokammel Hayat Khan Muki and Tagar, leading to her death.
A case was filed after a long protest and the lower court sentenced Muki, Tagar and Nurul Islam Sagar to death.
In 2006, the High Court commuted the death sentence to life imprisonment and acquitted SM Masum Billah. 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 June 8 as a 'violence-free campus' day.
The BUET administration named the female students' hall 'Sabikunnahar Sony Hall' following demands from students.