Sanjib Choudhury remembered

Shilpi, wife of Sanjib Chowdhury speaks at the eventPhoto: STAR

Sanjib Swojon, an organisation of friends, relatives and well-wishers of the recently deceased artiste-journalist Sanjib Choudhury, arranged a memorial programme at the Shahid Minar premises on December 8.
At the programme, hundreds of people, including renowned personalities, family members and friends recalled Sanjib. Kingbadanti, Sanjib's four-year-old daughter, opened the programme by placing wreaths on her father's portrait. The audience was moved to tears as Sanjib's rendition of Ami tomakei bole debo was played in the background.
Sanjib's school teacher Chandan Kumar Bose of Nabakumar Institute, Professor Ahaduzzaman, Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique and Professor MM Akash of Dhaka University, Sanjib's colleagues and friends Mozammel Hossain Manju, Shyamal Dutta of the Daily Samakal, Supon Roy and cultural personalities Nasiruddin Yousuff, Jhuna Choudhury, Shuvro Dev and others were present at the programme.
From a very young age, Sanjib was unlike others, always confronting the norms of the society. Yet, he was extremely meritorious and won the hearts of his teachers and people around him. Apart from his music career, his contribution to the print media and journalism was also noteworthy. He was the first to organise a newspaper readers' forum in Bangladesh.
“He gave us songs, new ideas and most of all, the inspiration to understand life. I was his teacher and one of his admirers,” said Professor Ahaduzzaman.
Recalling his university days, Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique said, “Sanjib was the heart and soul -- 'sanjiboni shakti' -- of our department.”
“He was one of those who worked in the background. He was an efficient editor and his titles were superb,” Supon Roy said.
Nilima Choudhury and Progya Nasrin Shilpi, elder sister and wife of the artiste, shared their memories of Sanjib with the audience. “Sanjib always nurtured secularism and free thinking. I look forward to a better Bangladesh where our daughter can grow up and live her father's dream,” Shilpi said.
Songs and video clips featuring Sanjib Choudhury were shown and artistes rendered songs at the event. Hasan Abidur Reza Jewel sang Nirjon Jamuna Kuley, a Sylheti folk song he learnt from Sanjib Choudhury.