A mother's heartache: Rokeya still hopes for Abrar’s return

The passage of time has done little to erase the grief of Rokeya Khatun. Six years have passed since her son, Abrar Fahad, was savagely beaten to death, yet she remains in a trance, unable to fully accept the loss. Every day, she waits for the impossible -- a call from her son, calling her “mother” once more. On Oct 6, 2019, Abrar, a second-year student at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), was tortured and killed by members of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of the Awami League. The vicious killing sent shockwaves through the university, sparking protests and calls for accountability. But for Rokeya, the anguish has not faded with time. In a...