Thursday | 16 January 2025 | Reg No- 06
বাংলা
   
Thursday | 16 January 2025 | Epaper

Goodbye Anis and keep posting your thoughts from heaven

Published : Monday, 9 July, 2018 at 12:00 AM  Count : 1170
Afsan Chowdhury
Afsan Chowdhury

Afsan Chowdhury

Anis's last post was about his health. He complained of feeling unwell and a fever. Some wished him quick recovery and others advised a prayer or two.  In the light of the way our relationship was, I joked that maybe God had listened to his prayers and would soon be calling him upstairs.   Next morning, our friend and his colleague at daily Observer Hasan Shaheed called up and said, "Your wishes had been prophetic, Anis passed away last night. It seems the time for all of us has arrived."  It just never struck us that Anis would be one of the early departees from the party.

Growing up calmly in a turbulent world:
Like so many of us now in our mid-sixties, our friendships go back almost half  a century. Anis and I were together in Dhaka College, the once elite institution for academically better off.  So many of our values, attitudes and even professional directions were set there as we were left to fend for ourselves.  We picked our way through the minefield of post-adolescence. No question that we were loud, somewhat unruly, trying out things and making plans. Many were already doing what we would do in later life, perhaps in a bigger scale. It was time to figure out life's choices.
We also didn't know the all important even that was awaiting all of us. If we entered Dhaka College as Pakistani citizens, we would sit for the final HSC exam in 1972 as citizens of Bangladesh. It was a change we never imagined. We were caught off guard and it profoundly affected our life in ways we never thought possible.

Amidst all this was Anis, the eternally solid, rotund and calm bit of a human being in the sea of quick fire humanity. We wanted to change the world the next day but even then perhaps, Anis had chosen to be an observer of our immaturity. We were loud mouths but Anis rarely participated in our wild talks around cheap cups of tea. He knew what could be done and what couldn't be, we didn't. Even in those days, he kept the counsel to himself.

Crossing paths in journalism:
After passing out from the University, half a decade later, we were still searching and in some ways, we haven't fully found our port to cast anchor. Yet Anis did as he moved through the rings of news agency journalism. It's a world much less helter shelter than the one we waded into, full of  desperate sourcing, scoops, analysis on the run and so on. But Anis, in his quiet chair at the desk, knew the world better than we did which we looked at only through our eyes. He saw many reports and knew it all more than we did. And it was OK for him. His wisdom was probably being regularly confirmed.

Our paths crossed directly when I was batting for the BBC -1993-94- and Anis was with Reuters. Syed bhai and Farid Hossain bhai were with AP, Tahaboor bhai and Nadeem Qadir with the AFP and this made up the news agency scene of Dhaka. Ataus Samad bhai mentioned that Anis was very respected by all including the Reuters people and I felt great. We would share stories which is common in the profession and would check with each other regularly. We both had reasons for mutual thanks.  

Facebook or the final adda khana:
It was in the last few years after I had returned to regular media work and joined Facebook that we became closer than we ever were. We have our own circle, made up of seriously old friends like Hasan Shaheed or Saleem Samad and Syed Badrul Ahsan and new ones too. We all come from the niche English media background and have played the journalism innings for more than four decades. Few things surprise us but what did surprise me was the ferocious and caustic wit of Anis as he held forth with his FB posts.

Some were dry humour, some scolding, a few despairing but always funny. Anis had finally let himself go. He and I would poke fun at each other and take delight  in our efforts to one up the other.

But Anis was ailing as several of his posts hinted at ill health but he was never specific. He had small bouts of bed stays but he looked eternally solid of frame and mind. Only a day before his passing away, he thanked me for writing on how diabetics can stay healthy. It's only now that I learn that he was one.

This piece of writing celebrates our friendship- his mine, others - and the strange personalities journalism produces. He was one of the finest human beings among us and that's how I will always remember him. I hope we are lucky enough to be as liked as he was.

So good bye Anis, till we meet again, "In the dying evening's crimson light,/ restless horses wait on cobbled streets/ have you packed all  your bags/ are you ready for the final flight ?  "Au Revoir.        

The author is an eminent journalist


LATEST NEWS
MOST READ
Also read
Stop bloodshed in the war torn country
Will Kurds keep American weapons after Syria withdrawal?
Post Language Movement East Bengal and struggle for rights
Tribute to Comrade Moni Singh
Agriculture: An effective approach of improving condition of disabled people
The environment ready to arrange fair election?
International Monetary Fund: A heartbreaking story!
Political and election culture in Bangladesh
Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Online: 41053014; Advertisement: 41053012.
E-mail: district@dailyobserverbd.com, news©dailyobserverbd.com, advertisement©dailyobserverbd.com, For Online Edition: mailobserverbd©gmail.com
🔝
close