Lest We Forget

Professor Abdul Momen: A portrait of inspirations

Professor momen was a perfect gentleman. He would always say things with a smile. We never heard him talking harshly with his students, colleagues and people in general. As a teacher, he was extremely successful

It is hard to believe that Professor Abdul Momen is no more with us. He passes away on 10 May 2016 leaving his family members, friends and a whole bunch of admirers in abysmal shock. However, his great ideals, gifted scholarship and tremendous passion for the discipline of Social Welfare would remain ever-inspiring. Professor Momen would not hear any more of these facts. Those are all spelt out in other places and he took none of them with him. Still, we who love him, expect any time to take a call from him or to see his face pop around the corner. Is this what we call the spirit? If so, then his spirit is always with us and we hope it never leaves. A beginning, which he could not have rejected, is to say of him that he was a teacher of life. Professor Momen was a great teacher and a wonderful human being. 

We all have our memories of the person defined between tough look and easy to talk with. Do the children and grandchildren need to know how his eyes lit up with joy and pride when we asked him about them? All of that is within the sanctuary of the family which he off-guarded for the sake of his students. It is a place where I shall not step in.
But there were other sanctuaries and, above all, the Institute of Social Welfare and Research (ISWR). Many years ago Professor Momen went to the Columbia University and took the lessons as the very first Bangladeshi in the arena of Social Welfare. Having returned from the USA, he founded the College of Social Welfare and Research (CSWR), later the ISWR. He nurtured it and watched it over as his beloved baby. It became the extension of himself. 
Taken from the academic career, he left a great mark on his own-made institution, the ISWR, which needs no embellishment. The heart of a man who lived his life for this wonderful institution we studied, and whose soul enriched not just our Institute, but all of our lives. Is this what we call the spirit of teaching? The bonds that lead to students from around the country keeping their hats off, that saw people who did not even know Professor Momen lay flowers. 
The bonds that saw students old and new rushed to his bedside during his last few days at BIRDEM Hospital from wherever they heard the news of his illness.
The distinctness in Professor Momen is reflected in his tenacity to keep the latest books, journals, and reports in his fingertips and provoked his students/ audience about debates and argument underpinned the topic(s). To be with Professor Momen, to listen to him talk and laugh; to hear him tell a joke or to give guidance was to know that we stood in the presence of life. He was the master weaver of the image on page after page in the discipline of Social Welfare. He kept a close eye on how things were going in the fields and what were the experiences of programme participants. Periodically, he used to visit the fieldwork places, talk to the staff and the members at the grassroots, debrief them to benefit from firsthand learning. Professor Momen lifted the discipline of Social Welfare to a new height. 
In him coursed the blood that made Bangladesh - a Bangladesh he so passionately wanted to get up and 'have a go' at being herself. His purpose was to shake off all the toadying and cringing, and see a prosperous Bangladesh. He went on countless journeys through Bangladesh, walked countless miles to see, to feel and to explore. He did not speak to comfort with honeyed words because the truth is not like that. He stood on his own ground and told us that we had to be strong, to stand together and seek a way ahead, to respect others. Above all, he wanted us to be proud sons and daughters of this soil. It was enough.
Professor Momen was a perfect gentleman. He would always say things with a smile. We never heard him talking harshly with his students, colleagues and people in general. As a teacher, he was extremely successful. He was an example that a good teacher could be tough without being harsh. He gave very strict directions but always in a nice manner. His humility was legendary and the most genuine. Deep empathy and compassion were characteristics of his dealing with his students and colleagues. 
The embarrassed and shy students with the halting essays, the members of his staff who were sometimes broken by life, the man or woman in the street with whom he paused and shared his quiet strength, the high ones whom he stood close to even when he reproved them, the fearful ones who told him their secrets knowing that their word was safe - all those know how his heart was spent. His spirit has touched us and it will forever be a sacred lesson for us. 
I came to know him being a direct student. However, my knowledge about him could have remained incomplete had I been absent in the commemoration programme arranged at the ISWR just a week after his death. There were many speakers who reminisced how adorably he taught them, loved them, guided them, and instilled good values in them. I realised that this person knew how to love people, and in return, deservingly received all the respect and love from people. All unequivocally talked about his winsome personality and good qualities that helped him effectively manage both of his beloved institutions, the ISWR and Social Welfare Alumni Association. There are so many things we may write about him, still, a long queue awaiting.  One sentence which may express our feelings for Professor Momen is “Jati ekjon sada moner manush haralo” (The nation has lost a beautiful soul).
Professor Momen was proud to be both a product and maker of the ISWR. He wanted it to be a place in which we climbed to the heights of human endeavour as makers of professional social workers. The words, the prayers and the sense of communion expressed in the memory of Professor Momen from people across the country have shown us his spirits/ideals in action. Professor Momen’s spirits, which are the part of our learning forever, will act as custodian of the professional milieu we all cherish to recollect. We should try unto the last to keep his spirits/ ideals alive. He remains amongst us as our teacher of life forever. Rest in peace- Professor Abdul Momen, our beloved teacher, mentor, and guide. 

The writer is a student of Prof. Abdul Momen and a public servant

Lest We Forget

Professor Abdul Momen: A portrait of inspirations

Professor momen was a perfect gentleman. He would always say things with a smile. We never heard him talking harshly with his students, colleagues and people in general. As a teacher, he was extremely successful

It is hard to believe that Professor Abdul Momen is no more with us. He passes away on 10 May 2016 leaving his family members, friends and a whole bunch of admirers in abysmal shock. However, his great ideals, gifted scholarship and tremendous passion for the discipline of Social Welfare would remain ever-inspiring. Professor Momen would not hear any more of these facts. Those are all spelt out in other places and he took none of them with him. Still, we who love him, expect any time to take a call from him or to see his face pop around the corner. Is this what we call the spirit? If so, then his spirit is always with us and we hope it never leaves. A beginning, which he could not have rejected, is to say of him that he was a teacher of life. Professor Momen was a great teacher and a wonderful human being. We all have our memories of the person defined between tough look and easy to talk with. Do the children and grandchildren need to know how his eyes lit up with joy and pride when we asked him about them? All of that is within the sanctuary of the family which he off-guarded for the sake of his students. It is a place where I shall not step in. But there were other sanctuaries and, above all, the Institute of Social Welfare and Research (ISWR). Many years ago Professor Momen went to the Columbia University and took the lessons as the very first Bangladeshi in the arena of Social Welfare. Having returned from the USA, he founded the College of Social Welfare and Research (CSWR), later the ISWR. He nurtured it and watched it over as his beloved baby. It became the extension of himself. Taken from the academic career, he left a great mark on his own-made institution, the ISWR, which needs no embellishment. The heart of a man who lived his life for this wonderful institution we studied, and whose soul enriched not just our Institute, but all of our lives. Is this what we call the spirit of teaching? The bonds that lead to students from around the country keeping their hats off, that saw people who did not even know Professor Momen lay flowers. The bonds that saw students old and new rushed to his bedside during his last few days at BIRDEM Hospital from wherever they heard the news of his illness. The distinctness in Professor Momen is reflected in his tenacity to keep the latest books, journals, and reports in his fingertips and provoked his students/ audience about debates and argument underpinned the topic(s). To be with Professor Momen, to listen to him talk and laugh; to hear him tell a joke or to give guidance was to know that we stood in the presence of life. He was the master weaver of the image on page after page in the discipline of Social Welfare. He kept a close eye on how things were going in the fields and what were the experiences of programme participants. Periodically, he used to visit the fieldwork places, talk to the staff and the members at the grassroots, debrief them to benefit from firsthand learning. Professor Momen lifted the discipline of Social Welfare to a new height. In him coursed the blood that made Bangladesh - a Bangladesh he so passionately wanted to get up and have a go at being herself. His purpose was to shake off all the toadying and cringing, and see a prosperous Bangladesh. He went on countless journeys through Bangladesh, walked countless miles to see, to feel and to explore. He did not speak to comfort with honeyed words because the truth is not like that. He stood on his own ground and told us that we had to be strong, to stand together and seek a way ahead, to respect others. Above all, he wanted us to be proud sons and daughters of this soil. It was enough. Professor Momen was a perfect gentleman. He would always say things with a smile. We never heard him talking harshly with his students, colleagues and people in general. As a teacher, he was extremely successful. He was an example that a good teacher could be tough without being harsh. He gave very strict directions but always in a nice manner. His humility was legendary and the most genuine. Deep empathy and compassion were characteristics of his dealing with his students and colleagues. The embarrassed and shy students with the halting essays, the members of his staff who were sometimes broken by life, the man or woman in the street with whom he paused and shared his quiet strength, the high ones whom he stood close to even when he reproved them, the fearful ones who told him their secrets knowing that their word was safe - all those know how his heart was spent. His spirit has touched us and it will forever be a sacred lesson for us. I came to know him being a direct student. However, my knowledge about him could have remained incomplete had I been absent in the commemoration programme arranged at the ISWR just a week after his death. There were many speakers who reminisced how adorably he taught them, loved them, guided them, and instilled good values in them. I realised that this person knew how to love people, and in return, deservingly received all the respect and love from people. All unequivocally talked about his winsome personality and good qualities that helped him effectively manage both of his beloved institutions, the ISWR and Social Welfare Alumni Association. There are so many things we may write about him, still, a long queue awaiting. One sentence which may express our feelings for Professor Momen is Jati ekjon sada moner manush haralo (The nation has lost a beautiful soul). Professor Momen was proud to be both a product and maker of the ISWR. He wanted it to be a place in which we climbed to the heights of human endeavour as makers of professional social workers. The words, the prayers and the sense of communion expressed in the memory of Professor Momen from people across the country have shown us his spirits/ideals in action. Professor Momens spirits, which are the part of our learning forever, will act as custodian of the professional milieu we all cherish to recollect. We should try unto the last to keep his spirits/ ideals alive. He remains amongst us as our teacher of life forever. Rest in peace- Professor Abdul Momen, our beloved teacher, mentor, and guide. The writer is a student of Prof. Abdul Momen and a public servant