‘Did Noor’s sacrifice go in vain?’

After 32 years of her son's death, a mother sat in a protest for three hours in front of National Press Club, demanding the withdrawal of recent defamatory remarks made against her son.

Noor Hossain's mother Mariam Bibi came to the press club from Mirpur Mazar road as her martyred son was called a "drug and yaba addict," by a former state-minister and current general secretary of the Jatiya Party. 

"Jatiya Party Secretary General Mashiur Rahaman Ranga needs to apologise to the nation for calling Noor Hossain a drug-addict," says the slain pro-democracy youth protester's family.

On Monday, Mariam Bibi also urged the government to take action against Ranga.

"Noor sacrificed himself for the country and its people. People should stand against the man who called my son a drug addict," she said while breaking into tears.

"Did Noor's sacrifice for democracy go in vain?" she asked.

Ali Hossain, brother of Noor, said, "Ranga described Noor as a drug addict for protesting against an autocratic regime. He has humiliated all martyrs of the pro-democracy movement. Ranga should be stripped of his parliament membership."

Noor's family said they would continue the sit-in protest until Rangpur-1 lawmaker Ranga apologised to the nation. 

Meanwhile, Deutsche Welle reported that Mashiur Rahman Ranga apologised to Noor's family. 

"On Sunday, I said Noor Hossain was a phensedyl or yaba addict. I don't know if yaba or phensedyl was available at that time or not. I was not on his side during that time. It was just a slip of tongue. I'm withdrawing my remarks and apologising to Noor's family," Ranga told Deutsche Welle. 

He also claimed that the autopsy report showed Noor Hossain getting shot from the back and the bullet went out from his chest. 

"Noor was unbalanced and pushed by someone to the procession's frontline. My question is, who shot him from behind? I'd like to urge the government for an impartial investigation. Then the actual information will come out through the investigation," Ranga added. 

He also demanded justice for Noor's murder.

Earlier on Sunday, Jatiya Party leader Ranga claimed that Noor Hossain was a drug addict, following which he received massive backlash from politicians and on social media.