A BEACON OF MODERNITY AND HONESTY

ON August 3, he would have turned seventy five. Around seven years back, on February 26, 2008, he left us forever. Whenever we observe his death or birth anniversary, his memories become even more pronounced. Bazlur Rahman, whom I fondly called bhaia, returns to us through our memories and words. His actions keep him alive. Wordsworth wrote: "In vacant or in pensive mood, they flash upon that inward eye, which is the bliss of solitude." Bhaia's memories, thus, shrouds us in grief for a moment after which we smile in reminiscence of his words and actions.

In his long professional career, Bazlur Rahman reached an incomparable height. An introverted man who was averse to publicity, not many could claim to know bhaia in totality, except those who knew him closely. However, it is only after his death that we learnt of his popularity as a person. People from all strata of life thronged around his funeral procession to pay their last respects to the great man. His death somewhere caused a perennial loss for everyone, even beyond his family, to be felt in the days to come. Not only his colleagues, fellows, progressive intelligentsia but even ordinary people mourned his death, despite not knowing him personally.

A middle-class Bangali, Bazlur Rahman was vehemently against feudal culture. A man of modern thought and a non-communalist, his beliefs were not limited to any dogmatism. His evolving political and ideological beliefs had a sense of vibrancy and dynamism and ultimately reached a destination of rationality where Bangali nationalism, securlarism, inclusive of economic progress and devoid of disparity, was highlighted.

In his profession as a journalist, he was a catalyst in spearheading the struggle for economic emancipation of the nation and played a vibrant role in the War of Liberation. After the independence of Bangladesh, he struggled relentlessly towards building a resilient, productive and caring society, comprising of healthy and well-educated people. His dream had always been to create a society in which every man had equal opportunities to achieve his or her fullest potential,where all men and women would enjoy a quality of life commensurate with the development stage of the nation, where all citizens would be prepared to meet the human resource needs of a modern, progressive, and technologically advancing nation. He also envisioned a people that would have respect for the principles of democracy, rule of law, human rights, ensuring gender equality and rights of people irrespective of caste, colour and creed. These were Bazlur Rahman's guiding philosophies enshrined in his daily life, that made him different.  

His qualities of directness and sharp-wittedness had overwhelmed many who carried out arguments, dialogues and conversations with him. He would call a spade a spade and that is why Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina once called him her best critique. His sharp acumen,the retentive capacity of mind in his professional career were really admirable. His sincerity and seriousness regarding journalism taught established as well as aspiring journalists to imbibe these qualities in their professional life. It is thus dificult to fill the gap created by his absence in the journaistic field of Bangladesh.

Bazlur Rahman was not only an eminent journalist and editor. He was a successful organiser of the children's movement in Bangladesh through Khelaghar which has become one of the largest children's organisations in the country, only because of his farsighted guidance.  

Bhaia might not be with us anymore but his teachings, his values will always remain with us. 

The writer is a retired Professor, Assistant Editor of Daily Sangbad and Secretary of the United Nations Association of Bangladesh-UNAB). 
Email: gharadhan@gmail.com