Remembering Engr. Abul Ahsan Khan (Kalu Khan)
An Man of Impeccable Simplicity
by Mahbubar Rahman
Lifes but a walking shadow, a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more, it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
- William Shakespeare , Macbeth
With a gifted clean-heart within, he was born in an unique physical stature and loving complexion of his designed own by the divine hands. An epitome of die-hard honesty and impeccable simplicity, he was no one other than Engr. Abul Ahsan khan popularly and lovingly known as Kalu Khan in the mainstream society of Chittagong and its beyond. An ever smiling, jovial man with a child-like demeanor, he used to feel proud in introducing himself as Kalu Khan at times even to a stranger while interacting on certain occasions. He lived long 75 years in this fragile world which is not even equal to a fraction of a millionth second in cosmic time and successfully acted in the drama of life staged by the great Play-Wright -------- the Lord of all creations. Having successfully accomplished his part, the curtain of the stage that he acted upon for long time finally fell with his sad demise on August 6, 2015, leaving his kith kin, friends, associates and fellow compatriots in the sea of grief and deep anguish.
Knowing him over more than 3 decades, like his other friends, I was also mentally prepared, with a considerable trepidation, to learn a sad news after he fell in the grip of lingering old-age ailments of multifarious nature for quite some time. His sad departure from the parlour of life did not, of course, create any dent in his undying soul which only left the cage of his mortal physical stature to the unknown destination of eternal home of peace. To see his Creator face to face. Alphard Lord Tennyson wrote : for though from out our bourne of time and place.
Though he has crossed the bar to live in his eternal home under the Mercy and Providence of his Master yet , sad demise of Kalu Bhai brought about a shock-wave with deep scar in the minds hearts of many of his friends and associates who interacted with him in the heydays of long journey of life in this world.
An engineer by profession, Kalu Bhai served long in Bangladesh Oxygen Ltd. (BOL) bearing a British legacy with utmost sincerity and dedication. His honesty and integrity to his duties and profession was peerless with no matching. While walking into the long trail in the journey of life, he went through no less difficult situation and ordeals of life, but never compromised with his values deviating or walking away from the path of honesty and integrity that he preached and religiously practiced. Having an unflinching faith in Allah, in difficult situation, he always left himself with the Will and Mercy of Allah. After retirement from service, his demand for sharing his expertise services never dwindled and often he was called upon by the organizations/institutions needing his skilled and specialized services of technical nature. A prodigy, having silently immersed in philanthropic works particularly in helping the orphans, his hands remained always open and wide as a fatherly figure. Beating drums and blowing trumpet of his own in absorbing in humanitarian cause was absolutely absent in his behavior pattern of life. With his active support and help, I know Bhabi (Mrs. Khan) was equally involved doing charity and maintaining an orphanage for quite long time in myriad silence.
Beside his professional and personal life, Kalu Bhais pastime in visiting and wagging around the corridors of Chittagong Club was much conspicuous and unique. A great connoisseur of food and drink with delightfully basking in the warmth of his fellow friends to contain the urge and demand of his soul in the evening in the light shade ambience of Chittagong Club, Kalu Bhais presence with his anecdotal discourses was much demanding by his fellow club members. Equally a connoisseur of mezban-beef curry and nola/paya, Kalu bhai used to exchange lot of humor on Chittagonians culinary culture centering around lusting love for beef.
A graceful entry in the four walls of Club right on time and taking a high seat in the revolving Stool No 05 was his routin joyful exercise in the evening. Having served several times diligently as member of the Clubs General Committee in his prime time of youth, Kalu Bhai ended up with ornamenting the coveted position as Chairman, Chittagong Club Ltd. for more than one term. He had served the cause of the club with utmost honesty and integrity and thus curved a niche in the Chairmens Gallery and honor-board where his picture has found a suitable permanent place displaying his tenure of office as the Chairman, Chittagong Club Ltd.
A man of impeccable simplicity absolutely free from false vanity and bumbledom, Kalu Bhai perhaps set an example that the Chairman of the Club does not enjoy any special privilege in the club, rather an elite servant who volunteered to serve in all humility the club without any gainful purpose or motive.
Kalu Bhai chaired the General Committee of the Club at the time when another Kala khan chaired the General Committee of Dhaka Club. Yes, at this point I am referring to a man of wisdom and a brilliant Civil Servant of towering image Late Shamsur Rahman Khan an accused in infamous Agartala conspiracy case who was incarcerated aloug with Banglabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by Pak military junta and later had contributed greatly in shaping a new Bangladesh with all patriotic zeal. Late Shamsur Rahman Khan (Dr. Jhonson, kala khan, Nana in whatever name you may call him) who I used to call Nana lovingly, once told me in great humor in a happy hour at Dhaka Club that Kala Khan in Dhaka Club and Kalu Khan in Chittagong Club went hand in hand in most exhilarating pace of rhythm in shaping both the prestigious and traditional Clubs of the country and the sub-continent worth enjoyable to the members with gaiety and bonhomie. Our Kalu Bhai did his best in upholding the legacy and tradition of the club with utmost care and devotion. Kalu Bhai did not like to miss the warmth of the Club even when he was walking into the twilight of his life with visible physical incapacity and diminishing motor ability. Like an absent minded professor, garbed in his trade-mark safari suit, and a walking stick in one hand and a Havana Cigar fashionably nestled between his two fingers, Kalu Bhai used to appear in the club with his impish smiles permeating fragrance in the corridor of the club with greetings and cheering the fellow members approaching close to him.
With his demise, Stool No 5 will not obviously remain vacant, but his shadow will surely continue to loom descending from the astral skies, he is apparently carousing amidst the distant star.
In the funeral site, Kalu bhais dead body was placed and his face was exposed for a short time for last public view where everyone talked in his praise and he remained eloquently silent. Prussian (presently German) Emperor and philosopher Frederick the Great (1712 1786) once said on my death, except me, everyone will talk. God , you are kind. I wish you could be kinder.
After a brief speech by his only child Tohsin khan seeking Dowa and forgiveness for his father followed by a largely attended Namaz-e-Janaza at Jamiatul Fallah mosque premises, his body was returned to earth and laid to rest and surely his undying soul looked on his kith kin and dear friends in grief and bemoan on that tender moment of saying adieu.
Wherever you are Kalu bhai, Chittagong Club will miss you greatly in the days to come. May Allah rest our dear Kalu Bhai in eternal peace. May Allah also grant enough strength courage to his bereaved members of the family to endure the irreparable loss.
The writer is a former Civil Servant
