9/11 at 25: Shakila and Nurul’s Memories Endure

Bangla Press Desk:  The terrorist attacks on Sept 11, 2001 changed the lives of countless families. A quarter century has passed, but for some, the pain of losing a loved one is as sharp as ever.

On Friday, families at Ground Zero in New York City came to pay their respects to the departed. Among them were the family of Bangladeshi couple Shakila Yasmin and Nurul Haque Mia.

Shakila's father, Sharif Chowdhury, stood before the memorial plaque engraved with his daughter's name and prayed. Next to him was her mother.

The memory of his daughter’s loss is still vivid in his mind.”

"I have not forgotten Shakila for a single moment over these 25 long years," said Sharif.

Shakila was 26 years old in 2001. She worked for Marsh & McLennan Company in the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

Her husband, Nurul Haque Mia, directed the company's audiovisual department. They were both killed in the attacks that day.

The grief of losing the couple is not limited to the family. In 2005, a road in the Bay Ridge area of Brooklyn, New York - where the couple lived - was renamed “Shakila Yasmin and Nurul Haque Mia 9/11 Memorial Way” in their memory.

Sharif said that regular prayers are also offered at their ancestral home for the wellbeing of Shakila and Nurul's souls.

Houses Commemorate Shakila

To keep his daughter's memory alive, Sharif built a housing complex named “Shakila Smriti Abasan” in his village home in Moulvibazar a few years ago.

That housing complex is now home to 19 poor families. Shakila's father wants to transfer the ownership of the land to them.

Sharif said that he is suffering from various old-age-related illnesses and he has entrusted the care of those families to those close to him. Still, he cannot quite let go of his worries.

“If their suffering increases, then my daughter’s soul will not find peace,” he said.

Shakila’s father has announced his plan to return to Bangladesh soon and hand over the land to the families living on it.

Initiatives in Nurul’s Memory

Like Shakila, Nurul’s family has also kept his memory alive.

Sharif Chowdhury said that an orphanage-cum-madrasa has been built in his honour in Mymensingh’s Muktagachha.

Even 25 years on, their family feels that it is important to pass on memories of him to the new generation.

Six Bangladeshis Lost

The Sept 11, 2001 attacks at the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Pennsylvania killed 2,977 people. Relatives of the victims read out their names at the 25th anniversary commemoration ceremony on Friday.

The Ground Zero ceremony also specifically commemorated those who died of 9/11-related illnesses this year.

Six of the deceased were Bangladeshis. Apart from Shakila and Nurul, the other four were Mohammad Shahjahan, Abul K Chowdhury, Sabbir Ahmed and Mohammad Salahuddin.

Their relatives were also seen at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum at Ground Zero on Friday.

Four Former Presidents, Vance and Mamdani in Attendance

This year's commemoration ceremony for the 25th anniversary was a significant one. Former US presidents George W Bush, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and Joe Biden attended the Ground Zero ceremony together.

Vice President JD Vance and current and former New York City representatives were in attendance, as was New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani. He was seen shaking hands with former mayor Rudy Giuliani.

There had been controversy over Mamdani's participation in the event, with Giuliani urging him not to attend the event. Mamdani ignored the talk and attended anyway.

Shakila’s father Sharif said that he wants to see exemplary punishment for those who were responsible for the terrorist attack.

To ensure that his daughter’s memory is more than just a name, he wants to ensure futures for the 19 families in his care.