HE was a familiar face in the sports, business, diplomatic, political and many other circles in the country. A well known organiser of the sports,Shabbir was the former captain of the national hockey team. He was the sitting president of the Bangladesh Jute Spinners Association and a keen observer of the political affairs at home and abroad. But, above all, he was a gentleman par excellence. Whoever knew him would unhesitatingly agree that Shabbir Yusuf was a person who would not only always wear a soothing smile, but also go out of his ways to help anyone. As someone, who mingled with all sections of people, he was admired for his soft-spoken nature and impeccable niceties. His death at the age of 66 has robbed the society of a person, whose absence would be badly felt in various quarters.
Shabbir's news of death  in a hospital in Singapore came somewhat as a bolt from the blue. True, he was undergoing medical treatment, but none really thought he was dying. He did undergo a brain surgery and the tumor was found negative. That news was a big sigh of relief and Shabbir Yusuf was recovering fast as all were waiting from his return to home. But some post-operative complications unexpectedly developed, causing sharp deterioration in his condition and the worst happened in quick time. He is gone!I knew Shabbir for nearly five decades and we were class friends in the Political Science department of Dhaka university for several years. It was late sixties and Shabbir  Yusuf stood taller than many others among us because of his unremitting interest and involvement in sports that gave him great fame. It was the period of erstwhile Pakistan and scant scopes existed for the eastern wing of the country in sporting and other areas because of yawning disparities. Despite having qualities and caliber, the Bengalees used to be left in the cold by the Islamabad authorities. Abdus Sadeque and Shabbir Yusuf were among the handful of hockey players, who could reach the zenith of the game surmounting such barriers. Hockey remained his penchant in many forms till his death as he spared no effort for the development of this variety of the sports. Shabbir Yusuf was also an active promoter of cricket and football as well. He was thick with the sports world and actively associated with the “Abahani Krira Chakra”,which has deeply mourned his death, recalling his contributions to the embellishment of the sports and development of the club in various phases.
Shabbir Yusuf was a noted businessman, who particularly mingled with the jute industry ,which  experiences ups and downs during various governments in the country. As the president of the Bangladesh jute spinners Association earlier and also during the current term, he led the private sector jute industry in complex and tortuous discussions at home and international levels for the protection and development of the sector. In a fitting tribute, the Association unanimously made him its chief in the present term, but sadly he died leaving much of his task unfinished.
However, what made Shabbir Yusuf vastly different from many others was his unabated quest for knowledge and information about the international situation. He used to be unbelievably equipped with latest developments taking place around the world. As he is dead now, I must acknowledge with gratitude the information that he provided me many an occasion when I was a regular columnist for the Daily Star on South Asian affairs for many years since its debut. He had a tremendous knack of keeping himself abreast with the latest development in political and other fronts both at home and abroad. Although Shabbir came from a political family, he himself was not directly associated with politics, not even in the university days when many of us were activists of student orgnisations.
Shabbir's interest with the media was immense and he would enjoy watching talk shows and news at national and foreign televisions till late nights and analyse them later. An avid reader of newspapers, he would take pride in having a good number of senior journalists as his close friends. Only seldom have I seen a businessman and a person deeply associated with the sports world taking so much of interest areas that may seem largely as peripheral to their fields of interest .Indeed, this has somewhat uncharacteristically invigorated his charm and attraction in different circles. He was closely known in various political circles cutting across political divides. Suave, but exuberant in table-talks, Shabbir Yusuf would steal the limelight in such conversations mainly because his reservoir of knowledge on some matters used to be full to the brim. He would mostly remain immaculately dressed and would be remembered for his love for gourmet food with friends and other circles.
However, his personal qualities as a largely non-controversial person, who would extend his hands of assistance and help others, would remain the bottom line of the goodwill and friendship that Shabbir endeared over the years. Many would badly miss him and life would not be same without him.

The writer is Advisory Editor of the daily Financial Express and former Chief Editor and MD, BSS.