Remembering Shamsun Nahar Paran: the founder of Ghashful

Her legacy has been to identify and groom a group of men and women, espousing the cause of extending help to those in need

Shamsun Nahar Paran, popularly known as Paran Khala, had always been my role model. I remember her as an elegant and fascinating personality whom I first saw when she resumed her studies after a long break at Chittagong College. She personified a woman who defied the boundaries of the traditional role of what a woman could do. I was absolutely ecstatic when my cousin married her eldest daughter Parveen.
From then on I met her occasionally at family gatherings. By that time Ghashful had earned a reputation of an organization that looked after the well being of women from underprivileged backgrounds, mostly appertaining to maternal and female healthcare. I was working in the Department of English at Chittagong College, when one day I received an unexpected phone call from her. My father had been a social worker and she pointed out that I should be following in his footsteps. I was reluctant at first, since I was juggling a career and looking after 2 small children at home. But Paran Khala was very persuasive and insisted that I visit Ghashful and view firsthand what the organization did. At that time, the Ghashful office was located in Lalkhan Bazar. Intrigued, I thought that the least I could do was visit her office, so I ventured forth to Ghashful.
The moment I walked through the doors, I was hooked. Seeing Paran Khala interact with these helpless women who had to survive in appalling circumstances and witness her actually mapping out a better future for them through constant counseling, much needed healthcare and sometimes extending financial support, I realized that there was more to life than just being secure in a social and financial comfort zone. She had opened up a window into an enigmatic world that I was unfamiliar with , presenting a montage of repression, violence, and poverty that was also interlaced with courage and hope!! I would look forward to the different occasions that Ghashful sponsored celebrating the empowerment of women. I made friends there, outside of the academic circle that I worked in, and I especially enjoyed the company of the young and enthusiastic Anowara, who was working as an intern then. Today, Anowara is the principal of BMS Girls High School.
Apparently, Paran Khala was quick to pick up on my enthusiasm to reach out to the underprivileged community, because during the first quarter of 1984 she asked me if I would be interested in participating in a project,   “ Education for Slum Children” under her supervision. I jumped at the opportunity. The project was funded by Planned Parenthood, a British organization, and for 2 years children from different slum areas were given 2 hours of formal as well as health education every weekday. These children would attend classes early in the morning, just before regular classes commenced,  in various Municipal Corporation schools that were  sprinkled throughout Chittagong from Lalkhan Bazar to Halishahar.
Subsequently, in 1988, Marie Stopes International, a British concern, approached me to spearhead Marie Stopes in Bangladesh. They had heard of me from Planned Parenthood, the organization that had previously sponsored “ Education for Slum Children”. I joined as the founder chairperson of the organization and currently sit on the board of Directors of Marie Stopes Clinic Societies and Marie Stopes Bangladesh. Today, Marie Stopes operates more than 400 service centers and oversees 162 clinics throughout Bangladesh.
Paran Khala inspired me to follow in her footsteps. Her initial supervision and guidance spurred me on embrace social work as part of a person’s meaningful existence. I know that I was not the only person to be inspired by her. Her legacy has been to identify and groom a coterie of men and women, espousing the cause of extending help to those in need.  She truly encapsulated Mahatma Gandhi’s belief- “The best way to find yourself, is to lose yourself in the service of others”.  Paran Khala- May you Rest in Peace.

The writer is Director of Admissions, Asian University for Women

Remembering Shamsun Nahar Paran: the founder of Ghashful

Her legacy has been to identify and groom a group of men and women, espousing the cause of extending help to those in need

Shamsun Nahar Paran, popularly known as Paran Khala, had always been my role model. I remember her as an elegant and fascinating personality whom I first saw when she resumed her studies after a long break at Chittagong College. She personified a woman who defied the boundaries of the traditional role of what a woman could do. I was absolutely ecstatic when my cousin married her eldest daughter Parveen. From then on I met her occasionally at family gatherings. By that time Ghashful had earned a reputation of an organization that looked after the well being of women from underprivileged backgrounds, mostly appertaining to maternal and female healthcare. I was working in the Department of English at Chittagong College, when one day I received an unexpected phone call from her. My father had been a social worker and she pointed out that I should be following in his footsteps. I was reluctant at first, since I was juggling a career and looking after 2 small children at home. But Paran Khala was very persuasive and insisted that I visit Ghashful and view firsthand what the organization did. At that time, the Ghashful office was located in Lalkhan Bazar. Intrigued, I thought that the least I could do was visit her office, so I ventured forth to Ghashful. The moment I walked through the doors, I was hooked. Seeing Paran Khala interact with these helpless women who had to survive in appalling circumstances and witness her actually mapping out a better future for them through constant counseling, much needed healthcare and sometimes extending financial support, I realized that there was more to life than just being secure in a social and financial comfort zone. She had opened up a window into an enigmatic world that I was unfamiliar with , presenting a montage of repression, violence, and poverty that was also interlaced with courage and hope!! I would look forward to the different occasions that Ghashful sponsored celebrating the empowerment of women. I made friends there, outside of the academic circle that I worked in, and I especially enjoyed the company of the young and enthusiastic Anowara, who was working as an intern then. Today, Anowara is the principal of BMS Girls High School. Apparently, Paran Khala was quick to pick up on my enthusiasm to reach out to the underprivileged community, because during the first quarter of 1984 she asked me if I would be interested in participating in a project, Education for Slum Children under her supervision. I jumped at the opportunity. The project was funded by Planned Parenthood, a British organization, and for 2 years children from different slum areas were given 2 hours of formal as well as health education every weekday. These children would attend classes early in the morning, just before regular classes commenced, in various Municipal Corporation schools that were sprinkled throughout Chittagong from Lalkhan Bazar to Halishahar. Subsequently, in 1988, Marie Stopes International, a British concern, approached me to spearhead Marie Stopes in Bangladesh. They had heard of me from Planned Parenthood, the organization that had previously sponsored Education for Slum Children. I joined as the founder chairperson of the organization and currently sit on the board of Directors of Marie Stopes Clinic Societies and Marie Stopes Bangladesh. Today, Marie Stopes operates more than 400 service centers and oversees 162 clinics throughout Bangladesh. Paran Khala inspired me to follow in her footsteps. Her initial supervision and guidance spurred me on embrace social work as part of a persons meaningful existence. I know that I was not the only person to be inspired by her. Her legacy has been to identify and groom a coterie of men and women, espousing the cause of extending help to those in need. She truly encapsulated Mahatma Gandhis belief- The best way to find yourself, is to lose yourself in the service of others. Paran Khala- May you Rest in Peace. The writer is Director of Admissions, Asian University for Women