Dr. Anwar Hossain

Anwar Hossain was one of 12 brothers and sisters. He was the most talented one, enjoying a brilliant academic career all through, and securing first class first position in M.Sc in Physics from Dhaka University in the year 1951. Three years later, at the young age of 25, he obtained Ph.D in Physics from Bristol University, UK, working under the guidance of the famous nuclear scientist, Professor Rutherford.
Here, I may also add that although he was a student of science, he secured the highest marks in Bengali in the Matriculation Examination of the Calcutta University in 1945.
His many qualities included his lucid power of expression, both in writing as well as in his speeches, making difficult scientific issues clear for the audience to understand, his ability to organise international seminars, workshops etc (here mention must be made of the seminar on "Albert Einstein and SN Bose," he organised in Dhaka in 2005 which, together with the book he edited containing the papers presented at the seminar, drew high accolade, both inside and outside the country), leading many delegations with complete mastery of the subject.
Apart from his reputation as a brilliant scientist, he was also very highly regarded at the IAEC, Vienna, and in many other centres of atomic energy research in the UK, France, USA, India, Yugoslavia, Russia and Japan, and most of the heads of institutions there were his close personal friends.
Anwar's varied career, beginning with lectureship at Dhaka University and a short stint with the Army Education Corp, ultimately landed him in the area to which he belonged, viz nuclear energy and research, with which he remained attached till his retirement. His contributions and achievements at the atomic energy establishments at Karachi, Rawalpindi, and particularly at the Dhaka centre, are too well known to need any repetition.
His researches in non-conventional sectors like wind, water, solar etc., as well as on the rare and precious minerals at Cox's Bazar sea beach and elsewhere, are also well known.
This remarkable scientist had realised decades earlier that the ultimate solution of the energy shortage in our country lay in the generation of atomic power. As a practical visionary, he was able to complete, in the early sixties, all the ground-work of his life-long dream of setting-up a nuclear power plant at Roopur.
This included taking over possession of the land required and building the major portion of the residential accommodation needed, and training a body of scientists and engineers. Unfortunately, the plant has not been set-up as yet. He narrated the story of missed opportunities in an article which was published in The Guardian, London, in October 2003.
The fortnightly magazine Energy and Power later reproduced this here in October, 2007.
Just before his untimely death, Anwar was deeply involved in the formulation of the energy policy of the country by the present government, which was convinced about the need of atomic energy as a long-term solution of the serious crisis in the sector. As the acknowledged expert in this field, he was regularly consulted for achieving a sustainable solution. He was on the point of being appointed as the senior consultant, and his sudden departure certainly put a brake on the progress being made.
We are sure that the dream, which Anwar had for a nuclear power plant in the country, will come through, and I fervently hope that it will be named after him, in grateful memory of all he had done to achieve the goal.
He was very proud of the culture and heritage of his country, and like many other eminent scientists both at home and abroad, he was very fond of music, both vocal and instrumental. Apart from being a connoisseur of good food, he was also a very good bridge player. I also fondly remember the many hours in recent years, of watching together battles royal in cricket, tennis and football on TV. I shall never have the good fortune of sharing such rare moments together.

Mohammad Delwar Hossain is a former Chairman of Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation and founder president of a village based high school, and the elder brother of the deceased.