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Thursday | 30 January 2025 | Epaper

Remembering Ali Joon Ispahani

The ‘Grand Old Man’ of Dhaka departs

Published : Saturday, 2 November, 2019 at 12:00 AM  Count : 2262
He was not a venerated practitioner of any form of art, profession, sport or even business. He had never ornamented any key government or non - governmental posts. As far as the family title Ispahani is concerned, he had usually been the least talked about. His knowledge on contemporary issues and current affairs were remarkable, since he was an avid follower of daily news and opinions. I had met him at home and at several occasions' innumerable times, and had surprisingly found him in good spirits almost every time.
Standing somewhere between 5'6" and 5' 8" his bright milky complexion desirably radiated an aristocratic aura of grandeur and panache, until his last days. English was his preferred lingo though he also spoke in Urdu and Hindi.
He was an Iranian 'Sahib' in Dhaka coupled with an unwavering passion for Bengali culture and people. In fact, he had possessed all the traits as one of the Last of the Raj relics of a forgotten era. He is none other than the low profile Ali Joon Ispahani.
However, on hearing his death from my mother, I was not left speechless, nor was I shocked. The venerated Ali Joon Ispahani had lived a life larger than almost anything imaginable but curiously unobtrusive.
Ranging from presidents, prime ministers, painters, singers to foreign diplomats - his close encounters could possibly lead to volumes of anecdotes. To cut a long story short, the man had practically been a testimony of time. However, the sad reality is that he is dead. Grieving on a dear one's death with overwhelming adjectives with exaggerating solace is not a new phenomenon in this country. However, defining Ali Joon Ispahani is no easy task based on a particular area of expertise linked to the man.
No doubt about the man's aristocratic Iranian lineage but he never appeared as a shrewd business man to this writer, which he should have. On the contrary, his low key profile as a quiet and a soft spoken man especially coming out of the Ispahani clan had often baffled this admirer. Strictly a personal remark - the die-hard principled man would have made a perfect match for any royal princess to inadvertently draw media attention. That said - he had always given me the impression of a happily married contented man.
The most distinguishing feature of Ali Joon Ispahani was that he could patiently listen and strike a conversation with the person he was engaged - provided he enjoyed his or her company. On that note - he was evidently a misfit in a culture where only elderly people spoke with unflinching impunity - where the young are usually made to listen in silence and without asking questions.
My foremost impression of Ali Joon Ispahani - he was a man who loved to stay behind the screen, listen and observe his audience. He was one of those rare men who could afford to choose life on his own terms.
To finish with, despite his dignified lineage, financial privileges and of course his good looks - Ali Joon uncle was either too simple or perhaps too complex. Family and people much closer to him know it best.
I will definitely miss this 'Grand Old Man' of Dhaka, who has been so easy-going with a lot younger journalist as I. Sticking to his old habits, uncle Ali Joon loved reading news papers as an old school admirer of the media. And we know where the future of the print media in this country is heading.
Dhaka's 'Grand Old Man' has commenced his second innings in the hereafter, but how much do we actually know about his first.
The writer is assistant editor, The Daily Observer

















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