Spotlight

S M A Rashidul Hasan-
The man I got to know only through stories

Orchi Hassan

From the numerous stories I have heard from my mother and grandmother, and the diaries I have read, I think my grandfather would've made a pretty 'cool' nanabhai (grandfather). He was an amazing dad, a romantic husband, and a conscious dutiful citizen. Oh, and as you can see in the picture he was quite a handsome man too! He spoiled my mom as he took her almost everywhere he went, bought her nearly everything she wanted. He was an English teacher and very sensitive to our rich cultural heritage. He wrote beautiful poems. It's because of him that my mother is a Rabindra sangeet singer. So you can imagine what I have missed out on. December just reminds me more of it and makes me wish that he was still alive.

PHOTO: STAR

My grandfather S M A Rashidul Hasan is a martyred intellectual. He was a teacher in the English department of Dhaka University. Originally his family had migrated from India. My mom and her elder brother were even born there. My nanabhai studied in Dhaka University and later taught at Edward College in Pabna. At that time there were no passports needed to travel between India and Bangladesh (then East Pakistan). But while nana was in East Pakistan the passport system was introduced so to visit India he needed a passport. So when he went back he naturally demanded for Indian nationality. But the Indians somehow didn't want to give him that. It wasn't easy being an East Pakistani Muslim in India back then with the ongoing political issues. He constantly faced many problems. Feeling harassed and betrayed, as soon as he got a teaching job in DU he left India for good and settled in Bangladesh with his family. He was a man of strong principles. He was very outspoken and stuck to what he believed. And probably that's what got him killed. He wasn't directly involved with politics but as I read from his diaries he was very clear about his views on Pakistani government and wasn't afraid of expressing his opinions. He often got into heated debates with his fellow colleagues who were in favour of Pakistan. My nanu (grandmother) on the other hand is a very reserved and timid person; she used to try to persuade nanabhai not to talk in such ways. Nevertheless, he kept up his strong anti Pakistan views. Only two days before our victory he was taken away from his family along with all the other martyred intellectuals. He was arrested once before probably around September and was released but this time he didn't return. His body was found in Mirpur Boddhobhumi 22days later.

When on 16 December the country was filled with the joy of freedom, the martyrs' families were still in shock with their loss. My nanu, being only 30 years old, with very little education, faced the biggest battle of her life. She had 3 underage children to raise all by herself in a country where she had no relatives, but the country, which her husband had died for. I cannot imagine how but my nanu won her battles. She has raised her children the way my nanabhai would've wanted them to be raised. So I consider my nanu a great fighter just as well. Determination, dedication and selflessness are probably a must for victory. How else could we explain our victory in ‘71 under such an impossible condition. And maybe that's what we, the people of today lack, thus not just our country but also the world is in such chaos.