Shahid bhai died in Australia while undergoing treatment on March 19 of this year. Many saw it coming as he had been suffering from cancer for a long time. But just because it was a matter of time doesn't make it easier to accept. His death sits heavily in many hearts.

He was our senior by two years and close at several levels. His late younger brother Ikramullah and I were class mates and friends from the late 60s and his sister singer Sabiha Mahbub was our class mate in the Dhaka university History department from which we all graduated.

I rarely go to memorial meets and prefer to write about the departed but on the 27th of May 2025, I decided to go. It seems I was recognizing that one of my deepest roots lay buried in the soil of that area called Dhaka University Arts faculty, Nilkhet where both Shahid bhai and I and many were once part of.

I waited for the event to begin with my BRAC U colleague, longtime friend and ex-Chairperson of the department Ahmed Jamal in the teachers' lounge. In our days it was very crowded with people and full of chatter of faculty members of a newly liberated land. Today, it's a much more luxurious, posh and quieter venue far more befitting a respectable joint where teachers rest between academic duties before pushing on to the next.

It was relaxing in the cool air-conditioned space and I felt the years melt away as memories surged up of our time in the campus in the 70s. Soon the department Chair Ashfaq Hossain and together with other teachers were ready and we all walked to the nearby lecture theatre -Sirajul Islam Lecture theatre- to talk about a dear one we had recently lost.

People of our past

Many of our teachers were there to attend the memorial. Two stood out for us, Mufakkar sir and Delawar Sir, our teachers between the years 1972-1977. Mufakkar Sir was in a wheelchair but had still come. Delawar Sir held my hand like a teacher does of a student he meets after a long time. There were many others in the room but we were all there for a reason, to pay homage to Kazi Shahidullah bhai , who was dear to all.

One after another many came to the stage and briefly spoke for a few minutes remembering his integrity, honesty and complete dedication to his cause, be it teaching or academic management. They came from many worlds and fields but all had one thing in common, their memory of a person who had captured many hearts. Many spoke who were students under him but had over time become his teaching colleagues now. It was a moving experience.

I too spoke, not so much on his career achievements but our relationship and the days when we were both students. Dhaka University's History department had a record as a great sports department. We were the cricket, volleyball and table tennis champions to name a few. Everyone was of course keen on cricket and our department hosted several national team players like Aliul bhai, Babu bhai, Sirja bhai to name a few.

History department's main cricket rival was IBA who were a good team but History was considered much better. However, we had a problem with our very enthusiastic team manager in the shape of the late Prof. Abdul Momin Chowdhury. He was very keen on the game and would often bat and bowl too. It was not a big problem when he batted usually unable to go into double digits but his bowling was what worried all. He was a slow bowler without spin, a rare feat making him a boundary provider. Often, when the match would be ending , he would bowl. The opponents knew this and he ended up giving so many runs that History would lose.

We would lobby with Shahid bhai who was a brilliant student, a topper and so was close to the faculty as a whole, to prevent Momen Sir from playing. Shahid bhai would laugh and say that no one can prevent him and so the best is to make sure we win before Sir feels the desire to bowl. Clearly our priorities were more towards sports than studies. It was the time to become adults in a post war world.

Ansar bhai, Milan bhai

Two of our most liked seniors were also there -Ansar bhai and Milan bhai -who welcomed us with such affection that it felt like we had returned home after a long gap. . I felt wonderful with their welcome. Both remembered so many of us and it felt like we had come home to the family. They shared gossip, told us about how they remembered us and we even joked about our past student political days as we all were anti-incumbency activists.

Later Chairperson Ashfaq invited us to the department for tea and the adda went on as we shared anecdotes. It was the 70s again and we were back to where our heart belonged still. As Prof. Anwar Hossain Sir had mentioned earlier in the memorial, people who can't or do not remember their sons or are not allowed to properly always pay a price.

It was a time to remember for us all.