Prof. K.S. Murshid: An icon

I am so saddened to hear of the passing of Prof. Murshid and would like to extend my deepest condolences and sympathy to the bereaved family. My thoughts and prayers are with them in this time of deep sadness. Lets us all pray to the Almighty Allah to rest the departed soul in eternal peace and grant courage to the bereaved family to bear the irreparable loss with fortitude.
I have known Prof. Khan Sarwar Murshid since he assumed the position of vice-chancellor at Rajshahi University immediately after Bangladesh came into being, when I was a student in the Department of Economics. That was the most difficult and challenging time facing the war-torn new country. We (the students) returned to the campus with indomitable spirit and high hopes.
The campus itself was overwhelmed by the loss of so many renowned teachers/students/officials including Prof Habibur Rahamn (Math). Our halls of residence had been turned into army barracks and concentration camps. They were badly looted and gutted by the Pakistan occupation army. The university's own transportation system was destroyed by the Pakistan army. It being the only means of transportation for thousands of students, officials and teachers for daily commuting between the city (Rajshahi) and the campus the result was huge dislocation/deadlock. Besides, we were gripped by an acute shortage of water and food.
He stood like a rock with his towering personality, vision and leadership, and rehabilitated, streamlined and enriched the academic environmentthereby surmounting unthinkable odds through tireless efforts. There was not a single day he did not face the students' agitation demanding immediate relief/resolution of burning issues, but he handled and resolved the catastrophic crisis in commendable manner. As a student activist, I had the privilege to get to know him very closely and I watched him talking to Bangabandhu almost every day, asking for immediate relief of the burning issues.
Despite the fact that he was an active participant in our Liberation War, a close confidant of Bangabandhu Shaikh Mujibur Rahman and his wife (late Nurjahan Murshid) was a cabinet member under the leadership of Bangabandhu, he never indulged in any political patronisation as the VC. He rather established highest order of ethics, integrity, honesty and fairness throughout his tenure as the VC and by doing so he touched the hearts of everybody around him.
In addition to being an academic icon, his ardent pursuit of arts & culture added a festive cultural life to the university. He sponsored a rare visit by renowned literateur Dr. Ananda Sankar Roy, Gopal Halder, Abul Fazal, Begum Sufia Kamal etc. He invited many visiting professors in many departments from across the globe.
Because of him, we were so fortunate to have enjoyed the spectacular performances of a huge contingent of the visiting Russian cultural troupe who performed at our campus before doing any show in Dhaka. We also had distinguished performers from Visva Bharati who staged Chandalika, Mayar Khela etc. He sponsored Feroza Begum, Ferdousi Begum, Purno Das Baul and so many great talented singers and performers.
He got the spectacular mural erected on the Central Shahid Minar (Rajshahi University) by Murtaza Bashir. This rare and incredible art-work basically bears the signature of Prof. Murshid.
His stature as a man and his intelligence and compassion were inspirational.
To me, Prof. Murshid was a man who was energised by life, passionate about people and dedicated to making a positive difference in the world. He was a wonderful man, one to be truly admired, our fond memories and love for him will never be forgotten. I am sure that in his passing, the legacy of his works, his commitment to honesty and fairness and the dreams for peace and understanding that he worked so hard to achieve will inspire others.

The writer is President, Rajshahi University North American Alumni Association. E-mail: [email protected]