A friend of Bangladesh passes away
Father Marino Rigon, whose lifetime love affair with Bangladesh began with a trip from Italy in 1953, dedicated his life to working for the Bangladeshi people.
Father Rigon greatly contributed in the areas of poverty alleviation, provision of educational and medical services and empowerment of underprivileged women.
He joined the Liberation War in 1971, giving shelter to and taking care of injured freedom fighters. He spent the whole of the liberation war in Bangladesh, earning him the title of a freedom fighter.
In recognition of his contributions, the Bangladeshi government gave him honourary citizenship in 2009.
In 2012, he was conferred “Friends of Liberation War Honour” for his outstanding support and contribution, which helped the country emerge as an independent nation 41 years back.
On Friday evening, the lights in the sky seemed to have dimmed as Father Rigon, breathed his last in Italy's Vicenza. He was 92 years old.
Father Rigon had been under intensive care since 2014. A Bangladeshi cultural activist in Paris, Ravisamkar Maitree , confirmed the death in a Facebook status.
Ravisamkar, who chronicled Father Rigon's journey in a documentary titled Father Marino Rigon: Venice to Sundarban, said that Father Rigon considered the liberation war as a most significant incident in his life.
Father Rigon was born on January 5, 1925 at Villaverla in Italy. He came to Bangladesh in 1953 to spread the message of Christianity. Soon, his warmth and affection endeared him to all people irrespective of religion, caste and creed.
He stayed at Haldibunia village of Mongla for a long time.
When the freedom fighter began suffering from heart disease in 2001, his family members took him to Italy for better treatment.
Father Rigon's love for Bangladesh was so deep that he requested he be buried in Bangladesh. His relatives accepted the condition.
Apart from his social works, Father Rigon was also heavily involved with the culture of Bangladesh.
He translated a number of Bangla literary works, including Rabindranath Tagore's Geetanjali, a few of Lalon Shah's songs and Jasim Uddin's Nakshikanthar Math, in Italian. Many of his translated Bengali books were later re-translated to French, Spanish and Portuguese.
Father Rigon also established a Rabindra Study Centre in Italy in 1990.
He also popularised Bangladesh's traditional nakshikantha, a type of embroidered quilt, in Italy. Nakshikantha exhibitions in his Shelabunia Sewing Centre were held in numerous Italian cities.
Seventeen educational institutions were also established in Southern Bangladesh under his supervision. In addition, Father Rigon created opportunities for hundreds of under-privileged children to continue their studies.
A Bangladeshi theatre group staged the musical drama Nakshikanthar Math in Italy with his help in 1986.
State Minister for Public Administration, Ismat Ara Sadique, in a message of condolence, expressed profound shock at Father Rigon's death and recalled his contribution to the liberation war.