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Linking Young Minds Together
     Volume 2 Issue 58 | March 2, 2008|


  
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Spotlight

Professor Azhar Hussain
A Legendary Teacher

Mohammad Rukanuddin

A life long teacher dedicated to his profession, Professor Azhar Hussain has been a legendary figure in the realm of teaching in Bangladesh. I consider myself as one of the few lucky ones who were able to be associated with him as students. I found him as one of the teachers who left deep impression on my mind at Jahangirnagar University where he served as professor of English and also the treasurer of the university. He has left us for ever recently. (May his departed soul rest in eternal peace.)

Professor Hussain's teaching career is so vast and eventful that it would be virtually impossible within this little space to delve deep into it. Here I would like to touch on a few aspects of his eventful life as I saw and felt.

Professor Hussain has been a dedicated soul in the task of disseminating education in the country. Throughout his life he served the nation through enlightening people. The subject of his teaching was English, but he did not confine his teaching to the teaching of English language or literature only. Through his teaching he tried to teach his following generation the basic philosophy of life, to illuminate them with the power of wisdom, make them capable of referring themselves individually to their places in global arena. He always advised us to remain above all kinds of pettiness and prejudicial attitude towards life and world. He very often than not said, “Today's virtue is tomorrow's vice and vice versa.” The norms and values of society change continuously and as such he told us that one must develop oneself with the society's changing trend. There lies the lesson of pragmatism.

Professor Hussain has been a farsighted educationist. During the 80's when English was banished from the syllabus of B. A. (pass) course of our curriculum, one day referring to the meeting where this decision was taken he was saying, “The stupid fellows did not listen to me, they took this heinous decision. The nation will have to pay heavily for this.”

After a decade his words proved hundred percent correct. Considering the gravity of the consequence of dispensing with English, the subsequent government not only restored English in the syllabus but also made it mandatory for students to study English language in all the tertiary level degrees of the country.

I cannot help remembering Professor Hussain's humorous presentations. By way of inspiring us in reading more and more, he once said in one of our undergraduate classes, “Have you read Jawaharlal Nehru's Autobiography?” There was a silence. He added “Have you seen it? If not, please visit the university library and at least have a look at the book.”

In this way he tried to inspire us to read the best books of the world literature. On another occasion, he invited students' opinions on a literary fact. One of the clever students said that he thought so and so, which was actually Milton's idea. Professor Hussain with a smiling face said,” Well, this was actually said by John Milton many years ago. Would you please tell the class what your own ideas are about it?”

As to his lifestyle, I have never seen him without a suit and a tie. All the year round he wore an impeccable suit befitting him. Professor Syed Ali Ahsan once commented: “Suit is Professor Hussain's second skin.”

It is worth mentioning the academic accomplishments of Professor Hussain. He did his M. A. in English from the University of Dhaka in 1946. Then he worked as a research fellow in the same department before joining government college service. During his service he went to U.K. to study at the University of Bristol and got M.Litt doing research under celebrated Shakespeare expert L. C. Knight. He also studied phonology and elocution at London University. He has been a lifetime member of Shakespeare Society based in London.

He held different positions in the reputed government colleges and retired as the Principal of Dhaka College after which the government appointed him treasurer of Jahangirnagar University where he taught English literature as supernumerary professor till 1985. In his retired life he taught English at a number of institutions including Darul Ihsan University and Central Women's University and lectured in seminars and meetings organised by various literary and cultural organisations and educational institutions. He wrote eleven books in English and Bangla including Man and Matters, Essays Unpleasant, Bedded Bubbles, Shei Shonali Dinguli, Koto Alo Koto Gaan, Ekti Juger Fashal etc.

In the end I pray from my heart to the Almighty so that He may grant eternal peace to the departed soul of Professor Azhar Hussain.

(Mohammad Rukanuddin is an Assistant Professor of English at Bangladesh University)
e-mail:rukan@lycos.com)


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