Salahuddin's life, works encompassed truth
Prof Salahuddin Ahmed led a truthful, purist and modest life, never hesitating to speak out what he knew as the truth said speakers reminiscing about the national professor and historian who passed away on October 21 at the age of 92.
Chairing a citizens' condolence meeting arranged by Bangla Academy at its premises yesterday afternoon, eminent educationist Prof Zillur Rahman Siddiqui recounted anecdotes from Salahuddin's life citing examples of his courage on speaking the truth.
Siddiqui referred to Salahuddin's last writing published in Daily Samakal on September 22 where he criticised Air Vice Marshal (retd) AK Khandker's book “1971: Bhetore Baire” but reminded of Khandker's contribution to the Liberation War which he said should not be denied or demeaned.
Prof Emeritus Serajul Islam Choudhury pointed out how the noted historian and academician emphasised on freedom of speech.
He quoted a line from one of Salahuddin's essays which mentioned that the status of a nation's development and of it being civilised can be measured by the amount of freedom enjoyed by opposing thoughts in society.
“However, we are yet to obtain that freedom,” he said, adding that Salahuddin always wanted society to be materialistic and the state to be secular.
Other speakers also discussed about the non-communal and secular ideology that Salahuddin practiced in his life and works.
Referring to the independence of the country in 1971, Bangla Academy Director General Shamsuzzaman Khan said, “He (Salahuddin) was very happy to know that the nation is being established on the basis of secularism.”
Prof Syed Mohammad Shahed of Dhaka University recounted Salahuddin's early years in Kolkata before he moved to Dhaka in 1948.
He said Salahuddin perhaps understood the importance of a secular state while working as a Red Cross volunteer during the riots in Kolkata and Noakhali in 1946.
Mentioning his doctorate and book “Social Ideas and Social change in Bengal”, Prof Emeritus Anisuzzaman hoped that the coming generations would follow Salahuddin's open-minded perception.
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