Bangladeshi's body arrives from Kabul

[Bengal_Tiger]

Bangladeshi's body arrives

Staff Correspondent

The body of Wasim Alimuzzaman, who was killed alongside eight civilians in a Taliban gun attack in the five-star Serena Hotel near the presidential palace in Kabul of Afghanistan on March 20, arrived in Bangladesh on an Emirates flight last night.

The namaz-e-janaza will be held at the Gulshan Azad mosque before the burial in the capital's Banani graveyard, informed his cousin Shafiqul Alam.
Wasim, 65, executive director of the International Council on Management of Population Programmes, a Malaysian NGO, had gone to Kabul on March 19 for official purposes.

Published: 12:00 am Saturday, March 29, 2014

http://www.thedailystar.net/city/bangladeshis-body-arrives-17771

He died the day after he arrived.

Shame on the Taliban.

[Bengal_Tiger]

My friend Wasim

Faisal M. Rahman




Wasim Zaman.

I NEVER thought I would be writing essentially a eulogy of my friend Wasim Zaman. I have known Wasim for sixty years -- my first friend and my best friend. We were going to live forever, enjoying every minute granted to us by Allah -- together. One of us was not going to precede the other. Fate intervened.

Wasim was a victim of an assassin's bullet in Kabul while on a mission of humanitarian work. First as a UNFPA official and then as Executive Director of Kuala Lampur based International Council of Management of Population Programs, Wasim travelled to every corner of the world without any fear or concern for his own personal safety. A man without any enemies he never thought anyone would harm him. Alas everyone is not Wasim.
Born into an old political family from Gopalganj, Wasim and I first met when we were both students in Class 1 at Saint Gregory's in Dhaka. We went through school, college and university together -- sharing tiffin money, keeping each other company in detention classes, abreast of each other's innermost feelings, challenges and triumphs.

By every conventional understanding, we had the most fantastic adolescent and teenage years. We graduated in the top 5% of our class but did more than most students. I had a weekly TV programme and Wasim read the news for the new Dhaka TV station. Both of us were university correspondents for the two most popular English dailies of that time -- Morning News and Observer. Our jobs gave us access to interesting people and insight into the volatile politics of that time.

Both of us were successful in being selected as members of the Civil Service of Pakistan (CSP) on merit. We chose civil service to stay in the country and continue our family tradition of public service either through bureaucracy or politics. Just when we were finishing our training in Lahore, Pakistan, fate once again intervened. The Liberation War started.
Bangladesh Liberation War and subsequent change made a career in bureaucracy less attractive and both of us decided to pursue our primary interest -- academics. Wasim received his Ph.D. in Population Studies from Harvard and embarked on a career of international public service by accepting a job with the UN Population Fund (UNFPA).
Through the next 35-40 years Wasim was based in New York, Kathmandu, Delhi and Kuala Lampur and travelled almost 60% of his time to 70+ countries in a career where he worked tirelessly overseeing programmes in population management. He was a strong advocate of women's participation in decision making at every level, and that did not make him very popular among orthodox men from any religion. He spoke up for children and women's right in every forum around the world.
Wasim's public life was complemented by a very tight knit family consisting of his wife Shamim (Buli to his and her friends) and three lovely daughters. Even though the children were raised mostly out of Bangladesh, each one personifies the best of Bangladeshi tradition and culture while excelling in their respective chosen careers. This happened because Wasim and his wife never forgot their roots and inculcated the same gentle compassion which personified both of them into their children.
Career successes aside, Wasim was a gentleman of a rare breed. He showed respect to everyone and always had a nice compliment for anyone who came across him. He saw the best in everyone and truly believed in the goodness of humanity. He was always there for anyone who needed his help. Those who worked for him or with him always thought he was fair and transparent in his dealings.
Dictionary defines a friend as someone “who one likes to enjoy being with” as well as someone “who helps or supports someone or something.” Wasim personified both. He was the most enjoyable company whose laughter could be heard miles away, and I could always count on his support.
They say you cannot choose relatives but we have the choice of choosing friends. I am glad and proud that Wasim chose me to be his friend. He will live in my heart and memory till I cease breathing. I miss him now and will always miss him.


The writer is Founding Dean of the Graham School of Management at Saint Xavier University of Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is also the CEO/President of the APAC group of healthcare companies. E-mail: rahman@sxu.edu

http://www.thedailystar.net/op-ed/my-friend-wasim-17542