SAMS Kibria
Syed Badrul Ahsan, Leytonstone, London
It was a most wonderful gesture on the part of The Daily Star to bring out a special issue in remembrance of the late Shah AMS Kibria. By any measure, he was one of the men who did us proud in everything he did or accomplished in his life. Personally, I have very fond memories of him that I will treasure till the end. I recall that it was through one of his articles in your esteemed newspaper that I came in direct contact with him in the early 1990s. There was a bit in the article where I quite did not agree with him and sent off a letter to you. The publication of the letter led to a very gracious act on Kibria's part. He called me to say how much he appreciated my comments. In a country where criticism is generally not handled very well by those at whom it is directed, Kibria was a rarity.It was my pleasure to get to know him better in the days he served as Bangladesh's minister for finance. During his visits to London, I was deeply humbled when he called me, soon after he landed at Heathrow, to exchange news and pleasantries. I had occasion to see him defend Bangladesh's interests before foreign audiences not only vigorously but also intellectually. He did not suffer fools gladly and made that part of his personality refreshingly clear on the occasions when I found myself in his company. He was dismissive of sycophancy, something that led people like myself into admiring him all the more. But let me not digress more than it is necessary. But do know that in remembering Shah AMS Kibria through the tributes to him in your special issue, you have not only helped us recall the giant and decent man he was but also reminded us just how impoverished we grow to be when men and women of his kind pass into the beyond before their time.
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