The journey that ended before it�s time
Ashik Kabir
Be like the sun for grace and mercy. Be like the night to cover others faults.
Be like running water for generosity. Be like death for rage and anger.
Be like the earth for modesty. Appear as you are. Be as you appear.
-Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi It has been a very long and excruciating 11 years without my father late Humayun Kabir Balu. As I am the youngest son, I got a very short period of time with my father.
I was only 13 years old when he was assassinated in front of me and my two siblings. My elder brother Asif Kabir was also severely injured by the bomb attack on my father, and he was then only 24 years old.
It was my brother who took upon all the responsibilities of family and also the newspaper that my father owned. It was mostly from him that I got know about my father being a great individual. From the period that my father departed for the righteous destination till now , I have met thousands of people mentioning the uniqueness of my father.
How efficient and influential he was during his life time! Now the day has come that I reached the same age as my elder brother when our father left us. So, I intend to revive some of the extraordinary incidents that I have experienced and I have gathered from other sources about the veteran journalist. My father Humayun Kabir Balu was like the light on the lamp that was forcefully blown off by the bewildering wind but still lit thousands of hearts. In a country like ours where journalism is known to be very challenging and perilous, he inspired a number of novices to serve as journalists with his charismatic personality. He raised his voice against all the injustices. Mostly eminent for his humble and helping nature, he was always there by the sides of his colleagues, friends or relatives in times of need. He was a person who knew to help others irrespective of his/her status, religion or race. One important thing I learnt from him is that always follow your heart if you feel like you are right, and always stand up without hesitation for those who are being deprived of their rights.
Even though he was always busy with his work, he made sure to always spare some of his time for the family. I was only 10 years old when my mother died. So, after the death of my mother, I had a very close 3 years with my father. He did his best to serve both fatherly and motherly affections during the last three years of his life. Everywhere he went I used to follow him like a shadow except school and study time. And he was so loving and dedicated towards me that he always gave me proper time, irrespective of his vital meetings. When my elder brother used to come back home for vacation when he was a student at University of Dhaka, it was a very precious moment for us. From time to time , my father used to call for a meeting with my elder sister, elder brother and me. They were mainly related to how he wants to see us when we grow up. And I was amazed each time after listening to him; how far a father can think for the future of his children. His main suggestions for us was to always be a better human being first and serve the people who needed us during their troubled times. He wanted to see us as highly educated. As my elder brother always put it Opt for the education that will help you to become a better person, not after that kind that will only remain in certificates.
As a father he did his best during his life time. As a colleague he was also one of a kind. Whenever something wrong happened to his colleagues he used to become restless and do everything possible to assist them.
I still remember the night. It was !6th January 2004 ,the night after the assassination of Manik Uncle ( Journalist Manik Saha who was also killed by the bomb of unknown assassins on 15th January 2004). My father was sobbing like a child at our balcony, when my brother and I woke up. He broke down fully , and taking me and my brother in his arms, he said that they have killed Manik and he was just like a brother to him. He told us that he was just with him 5 minutes before his murder and he was very enthusiastic about his elder daughters progress. He was wondering tearfully what will happen to them.
Soon after the murder of his friend Manik Saha took place, he turned his grief to his strength and started to protest with his fellow journalists. He was leading the protest for the justice of his brother like colleague Manik Saha, avoiding the death threats he himself had been receiving from the smugglers and gangsters via phone or letter. But he was not afraid. He did not give up. When the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina , then the opposition leader, visited Khulna Press club soon after the murder of Manik Saha, my father expressed that that one day he too might not return home and unknown assassins will take his life and turn his children to orphans, who had already lost their mother. His prediction came true.
My father was killed in front of his house while coming out of the car and entering the house. Sheikh Hasina came to our house as soon as she heard the news to console us on the time of great grief. The current Prime Minister mentioned that one day she also lost her all the family members except her younger sister and that she also had nothing left. She added her motherly affectionate sympathy for our family and promised that she will take the responsibility of three of the children of the departed and she kept her promise with full effort.
My father was an extremely caring individual. When Awami League leader Manjurul imam was killed , my father was heartbroken and he led the protests then also. A rickshaw puller was also killed with the bomb attack. My father created a trust from where the money will go to the children of the rickshaw puller for their education and as far as I know, they are still getting help from the trust. During his youth he was a prolific leader too. He was a freedom fighter and he was the first one to hail the flag of Bangladesh in the city of Khulna soon after the Liberation of Bangladesh. When he was just a college student, he even went to jail for participating in the Liberation Movement during the Pakistan era in Bangladesh.
Every now and then I met people telling me how they were helped by my father and how grand his contributions were, which had no end . Recently I met a veteran actor of Bangladesh and he told me the last time he met my father, my father gave him the book My Life My Messages by Mahatma Gandhi and told him that this book has inspired him. Often I remember after coming back from school I used to see my father busy in his books. He was a voracious reader and quenched his thirst with prominent books. He used to offer me books every now and then by famous writers and asked me to read them. He used to tell me that nothing will remain with you forever- not money, not any other earthly assets, except knowledge.
One of my activities with my father was he used to teach me for one hour everyday, mostly just before his death. Those teachings were beyond the syllabus of any schools or college, they were just how to make you a better person and to serve others. A man of honor, a soul that cried for the pain of others and a leader who never deserted his fellow soldiers even though he could not see any sign of hope. 11 years have been passed but justice is still yet to be delivered. The culprits who were involved in his killing were not brought to light. But there is always the hope. As Mahatma Gandhi put it, There is a higher court than courts of justice and that is the court of conscience. It supersedes other courts. I do not know when we will see the justice, but surely we see his contributions, and they will be cherished for days to come.
I would like to conclude with hearty gratefulness on behalf of my family to all the people who stuck by us, who were always with us by supporting our family when the days were dark.
The writer is the youngest son of late journalist Humayun Kabir Balu. His email [email protected]
