I had the good fortune of knowing Yasser Arafat, and work very closely with him for many years. He was the President of Palestinian Authority and most importantly occupied the hearts and minds of the people of Palestine.

I first met Arafat in Rabat, where I had gone to attend the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) Foreign Ministres' meeting. I was Bangladesh Ambassador in Egypt. What struck me about Arafat was not only his trademark baggy trousers, loosely hanging jacket, keffiyeh and unshaven beard but his utter simplicity and straight forwardness. Although it was an OIC Foreign Ministers' Conference , the question of Palestine dominated it and there was an uproar about Egypt, which was expelled from the OIC for having signed a Peace Treaty with Israel.

In 1980 I joined the OIC as its Assistant Secretary General in Charge of Political Affairs, Legal Affairs and Information. Within the OIC Secretariat hierarchy I stood second to Habib Chatty, the Secretary General. I acted frequently as Secretary General. This was September 1980 and the fratricidal war between Iraq and Iran had started. The OIC was faced with the biggest challenge of its decade long existence for its two important members were locked in fierce, bloody battle. The OIC had a Summit meeting -- the first of its kind when Heads of State of the member countries met in front of the Holy Kaaba as Koranic verses rang out. The only absentee was Imam Ruhollah Khomeiny, who took the stand that since Saddam Hussein, the President of Iraq was the aggressor, he would not sit with him. The Summit decided to set up an eight-member Peace Committee composed of eight Heads of State. Since there was great sensitivity about inclusion of an Arab Head of State, it was decided to include Yasser Arafat alone, because Iran had a special feeling about Arafat's struggle for independence against Israel.

Iran had broken diplomatic relations with Israel and handed over its Embassy in Tehran to Arafat. Secretary General Habib Chatty and I represented the Secretariat and organised with the help of Saudi authorities the trip to Tehran and Baghdad trying to bring about a cease fire. Since I was involved with the arrangements I came in close, frequent contact with Arafat. My first impressions about Arafat were confirmed as a man of utter simplicity. He did me the unique honour of sending his Ambassador to Jeddah, who presented his credentials. Gen. Ziaur Rahman, then President of Bangladesh played an important role in trying to find a peaceful solution to the Iran-Iraq war. He invited President Sekou Toure of Guinea, Chairman of the Peace Committee, Chairman Yasser Arafat, Habib Chatty and myself to visit Bangladesh, where he held a mini Peace Committee Summit.

In 1982 I came to Dhaka again and met Sheikh Hasina who had returned from exile and had taken over charge of the Awami League political party, which had played a pioneering role in the creation of Bangladesh. I called on Sheikh Hasina, who told me in the presence of two former Bangladesh Foreign Ministers, Dr. Kamal Hossain and Abdus Samad Azad, that she had been invited to Algiers, where her late father had sent me as Ambassador. She was aware of my closeness to Bangabandhu, whom I profoundly admired, and asked me to help her in her maiden foreign trip. I promised to do my best. On my return to Jeddah I learnt that Arafat was in Jeddah and I met him at his breakfast table (I had by then established fraternal relations with him) and told him that the daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had taken over the leadership of the Awami League and would attend the AAPSO Conference in Algiers. He promised to help her in every way.

True to his word Arafat contacted Sheikh Hasina in Algiers and as told by Hasina to me in Jeddah , where she came as my guest on her return trip to Bangladesh, that Arafat had looked after her like her father and later invited her to visit Tunis, which had become his headquarters. I believe it was in 1982 that Arafat and his close comrades-in-arms were surrounded by the troops of the Israeli military chief Ariel Sharon in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. The Palestinians, whose headquarters was then Damascus, the capital of Syria, invited me to Damascus to show OIC solidarity with Palestine struggle.

Along with his struggle on the ground Yasser Arafat has carried on a world wide campaign for the establishment of a homeland for his people. He came tantalisingly close during the Presidency of Bill Clinton with the USA. It is established beyond a shadow of doubt that for the foreseeable future US direct involvement is essential for a solution of the half century old Palestine-Israel conflict. During the Presidency of Bill Clinton there was more than a ray of hope as the US President was perfectly even handed in dealing with the Palestinians and the Israelis, who have such a powerful influence in the USA. During Bill Clinton the White House doors were wide open for Arafat and the Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak. During the last four years of US President George Bush, we have witnessed the pendulum tilting totally towards Ariel Sharon and no handshake with Arafat, although the US prides in carrying democracy throughout the world and Arafat is one rare Arab leader elected by his own people. Sharon has vowed publicly to kill Araft and has holed him in Ramallah in inhuman conditions. Arab world is awash with rumours that Sharon's men have poisoned Arafat.

I grieve for my friend Yasser Arafat. He has left this world and not seen the birth of a Free Palestine. He can rest in peace with the thought that from a fractured people he has galvanised a nation proud of its heritage. He has taught them to fight for their rights and no matter how long and difficult the journey, freedom to the people of Palestine will come sooner than we may think.

I pray for the salvation of the soul of Brother Arafat. It has been a great event of my life to have known President Yasser Arafat.

Arshad-uz-Zaman is a former Ambassador.