When Faraaz Hossain stood for his friends even in the face of death, he actually stood for all humanity. And his refusal to desert his pals cost him what man perhaps holds dear most: Life.
In honour of his valour, Distressed Children & Infants International (DCI), a US-based child rights organisation, yesterday posthumously conferred on him the DCI 2017 Humanitarian Award at an event at Krishibid Institute in the capital.
Faraaz's grandfather Transcom Group Chairman Latifur Rahman and mother Simeen Hossain accepted the award on behalf of the slain youth from actress Babita Akhtar, goodwill ambassador of DCI, and its Executive Director Ehsan Hoque.
“I want to salute Faraaz's mother. You are really a proud mother,” Babita said in a choked voice while handing over the crest.
During the July 1 terror attack at Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka, 20-year-old Faraaz Ayaaz Hossain, a student at Emory University's Goizueta Business School in the US, refused to leave his friends behind and was eventually killed by the militants.
His friends Abinta Kabir, a Bangladesh-born US citizen and a student at Emory University, and Tarishi Jain, an Indian student at the University of California, Berkeley, were also among the 20 hostages killed.
“On July 1 during the terrorist attack at the Holey Artisan Bakery Faraaz refused to abandon his friends. When Faraaz stood by his friends that night, refusing the terrorists' offer to flee, he stood with courage, he stood for friendship, and he stood for humanity,” said Faraaz's older brother Zaraif Ayaat Hossain at the programme.
With his act, Faraaz made it clear that those terrorists didn't represent Bangladesh and the values of Islam, Zaraif added.
“The values which were instilled in Faraaz throughout his life were values he had acquired growing up. I believe that this humanitarian award is also recognition of the values that you, mama, have raised us with,” said the bereaved brother to his mother.
A short video clip featuring snippets of Faraaz's life and comments by his loved ones was screened at the event.
Earlier, PepsiCo Global launched the annual Faraaz Hossain Courage Award from 2016 by setting up a fund of $200,000. The fund will support a $10,000 prize to be awarded to individuals of extraordinary courage annually for the next 20 years.
He was also posthumously conferred the Harmony Foundation's Mother Teresa Memorial International Award for his bravery on November 20 last year at a ceremony in Mumbai.