Bangladesh Protest
Dhaka: Mohammad Suman, who sells national flags and headbands in Dhaka amid violent anti-government protests, was a witness to the extraordinary events in Bangladesh, but his own life is very ordinary. Mohammad Suman’s name tells the story of social harmony, which is most needed at this time in this violence-torn country. Suman, born in Dhaka in 1989, sells Bangladeshi flags and headbands of three different sizes for his livelihood. According to him, he earned ‘tremendous money’ during the anti-government protests that continued in the country for more than a month.
Suman told the story of his life
Suman, who sells a green headband inspired by Bangladesh’s national flag, says his product is in high demand, especially among students. The headband has emerged as a symbol of unprecedented protests in Bangladesh. Taking a break from work, Suman (35) shared his life story and how he got the name ‘Suman’, a common name in the Hindu community.
This is how ‘Suman’ got its name
“I was born in a Muslim family in Dhaka. Because of my name, many people think that my parents were from different religions, but it is not so. When my mother was pregnant, a woman from the minority Hindu community living in our neighbourhood told her that she would name the child after birth. And when I was born, she named me Suman,” Suman told PTI here.
Did Suman feel scared during the performance?
Suman, who lives in Alu Bazar area of old Dhaka, tells that his father of Indian origin came to Dhaka from Calcutta (now Kolkata) around 1971 and settled here. Like the year 2024, 1971 was also very turbulent and historic for Bangladesh, as it came into existence as an independent nation after the Liberation War. In the Liberation War, Indian soldiers fought shoulder to shoulder with the freedom fighters of the then East Pakistan. Suman said, “I went to Kolkata in 2008 to meet my family members. I have never been to India since then.” When asked if he was afraid while selling flags during the violent protests, Suman said, “Why be afraid, after all everyone has to die one day.”
Charged three times more price
More than 600 people were killed in protests that erupted in Bangladesh in mid-July against the controversial quota system in government jobs. Amid the protests, people from the Hindu community were targeted on a large scale after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5. According to Suman, he had ‘record sales’ on August 5, as protesters wanted to protest by wearing headbands and waving flags. This can also be seen in the pictures and videos circulated on social media. Suman admits that he sold both the products at more than “three times the original price” because the demand had increased that day. He claimed, “On August 5, there was a demand for flags of all sizes. I sell flags of three sizes. All the flags were sold that day. I came in the morning and sold about 1,500 flags and 500 headbands in a very short time.”
Also know this
Suman has been selling flags since 2018 to earn a living. He also has good sales during cricket matches in Dhaka. He says with a smile, “But on August 5, I sold more flags than on cricket match days.” Before selling flags, Suman used to work in a flag-making factory. Suman, who knows Hindi and Bengali, studied till class eight from a government school and then started working to support his family. He says, “I first worked as an electrician, but the income was very low, so I started working in a flag-making factory.” (Language)
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