Journalist Sayed Eqbal Rezvi :
Sayeda Dolly Eqbal
Yesterday, the 15th January was the 4th death anniversary of my father Sayed Eqbal Rezvi, a renowned journalist of the country. He had a long career of 50 years in the profession. He was always committed to the profession and had rare quality of professional honesty. His demise makes me very much friendless, guideless. Abbu was sometimes emotional, but he was very much realistic. He could understand if one could explain anything properly. On every occasion he was fully aware about his duties and responsibilities. He was always a hard working man with some principles. He appreciated wisdom and did not like ignorance. I miss my father every day. He used to ring me everyday.
Four years have passed, I could not forget my father. The same is with us all – his daughters and sons. Whenever I see an old man walking in the road or an old person on a rickshaw or any one of his colleagues, I remember him. I have some memories related to him of the months November and December(2010), when he became seriously ill . He was staying in Monowara Hospital (Dec 29- January 13), whenever any person or relative or colleague visited him he used to offer salam to him In fact he used to give salam to all of us- his sons and daughters and his grandchildren.
I remember clearly that on Wednesday (January12) my loving father took my mother’s hands and my hands, put her hands into my hands and asked, what will happen to your mother? I replied, don’t worry, abbu. We are six brothers and sisters to look after her. That was his last talk. After this he said so many things, but his words could hardly be understood.
The next morning (Thursday) I came back home at about 7am. After two hours my elder sister, Dulari, phoned and said abbu was not opening his eyes. I rushed to the hospital again. His condition was same all the day around. After Maghrib, as specialist doctors advised for taking him to ICU, we took him to Central Hospital and admitted him there after 1am. After that I and my husband came back home.
On Friday evening (14th January), ICU authority allowed us to see him. I entered into the ICU, wearing a special apron. My elder sister Guria was with me. We entered one by one. There were so many instruments and machines, which we never saw before. I touched one of the hands of my ailing father, he quickly took his hand away. On the last day (15th January,Saturday), I with my elder brother were there. After more than ten days we sent our mother to one of my sister’s house. At about 2pm, the consultant of ICU called one of attendants to talk about the condition of my father. The doctor did not want to talk to me as he thought that I was too young to bear the truth about abbu. I requested him to say anything. The doctor said that his condition was not good.
At about 3.30pm the doctor on duty again called and I went. He tried to console and asked me to call on my relatives as my father might expire anytime as his BP was getting down and down. After 4.43 pm, one of the nurses again called us to fill up a form as they were going to declare that our father had breathed his last.
I should mention here that our father was under the treatment of Consultant Hematologist Prof Col (retd) Md Moniruzzaman . He had been under his treatment for more than three years. Under his guidance we admitted him to the hospital. He is one of the best doctors I ever saw. He did not only took care of abbu but also gave us moral support. I like to express my gratitude to him on behalf my family members.
My father had to struggle so hard to bring up six children. He was always busy with his professional works. But he tried his best to take care of our study. I never got the chance to tell abbu, that he was the best father according to us, as he always fulfilled our desires and wishes.
…
Our father had completed LLB from Patna Law College and did practice for some days, but did not take law as a profession. He took classes as guest lecturer in early ’80 in Dhaka Law College and also wrote news commentaries for Bangladesh Betar.
Here, I like to focus on the long journalist career of my father. He joined the profession on 1960 and wrote reporting items for English and Urdu dailies published from Patna, India. He worked in the Unity, an English daily, published from Chittagong as Dhaka Bureau Chief and Executive Editor since 1965 to March 1969.
He joined Ispahani Group of Industry as Public Relations and Welfare Officer on May 10, 1969 and worked till December 1971. He worked with the People’s View (published from Chittagong) as Executive Correspondent from 1972 to 1974.
My father worked in ENA (Eastern News Agency) from Sep 1974-1980 as Joint News Editor. He worked in the Eastern Tribune (a weekly) as Executive Editor from July 1980 to 30th April 1982. In The Daily News he worked from May 1982 to Oct. 1988 as Senior Assistant Editor.
Then he joined UNB (United News of Bangladesh) as News Editor and worked there from 15th March 1989 to Nov 1991.
Abbu resigned from UNB and joined The Morning Sun as Senior Assistant Editor and worked there from Dec 1991 to Oct 1996 (till the very day the publication of the paper was stopped) .
He was associated with The Bangladesh Times contributing editorial and post editorials from 1996 to Nov, 1997. Then from 1997 he wrote for The Bangladesh Observer. He was also associated with The Financial Express as contributing Editor from 2002 to 2003.
Lastly, abbu jointed The Good Morning as Assistant Editor on 2003 and worked there till his last days.
He worked in The New Nation, when it was a weekly. From May 2010 to December 2011 he wrote regularly in the paper’s editorial page. His last write up was published in the editorial on 30/26th December, 2011.
On 31st December 2010 we had to take him to the National Press Club to cast vote for DUJ. That time Abbu was in the Monowara Hospital since 29th of that month. He could not walk. So we took him using wheel chair.
Abbu always told me to write one article or two articles every month. Abbu, a renowned journalist was a great personality of plain thinking and simple living and did never run for fame. He used some verses or quotes to inspire us. Such as -eat, drink be merry tomorrow you will die, blood is thicker than water, the stick of Almightily is soundless.
He had a rare quality of tolerance. So he advised us to have patience and maintain it at any cost.
Abbu had so many friends-both professional and non professional, till his last days. One of the finest qualities of his character was that he did not break friendship. He tried heart and soul to continue relationship. I remember, he was ill at the end of October, 2010, still he went to see one of his colleagues cum friends.
May Allah bless his departed soul.
Sayeda Dolly Eqbal
Yesterday, the 15th January was the 4th death anniversary of my father Sayed Eqbal Rezvi, a renowned journalist of the country. He had a long career of 50 years in the profession. He was always committed to the profession and had rare quality of professional honesty. His demise makes me very much friendless, guideless. Abbu was sometimes emotional, but he was very much realistic. He could understand if one could explain anything properly. On every occasion he was fully aware about his duties and responsibilities. He was always a hard working man with some principles. He appreciated wisdom and did not like ignorance. I miss my father every day. He used to ring me everyday.
Four years have passed, I could not forget my father. The same is with us all – his daughters and sons. Whenever I see an old man walking in the road or an old person on a rickshaw or any one of his colleagues, I remember him. I have some memories related to him of the months November and December(2010), when he became seriously ill . He was staying in Monowara Hospital (Dec 29- January 13), whenever any person or relative or colleague visited him he used to offer salam to him In fact he used to give salam to all of us- his sons and daughters and his grandchildren.
I remember clearly that on Wednesday (January12) my loving father took my mother’s hands and my hands, put her hands into my hands and asked, what will happen to your mother? I replied, don’t worry, abbu. We are six brothers and sisters to look after her. That was his last talk. After this he said so many things, but his words could hardly be understood.
The next morning (Thursday) I came back home at about 7am. After two hours my elder sister, Dulari, phoned and said abbu was not opening his eyes. I rushed to the hospital again. His condition was same all the day around. After Maghrib, as specialist doctors advised for taking him to ICU, we took him to Central Hospital and admitted him there after 1am. After that I and my husband came back home.
On Friday evening (14th January), ICU authority allowed us to see him. I entered into the ICU, wearing a special apron. My elder sister Guria was with me. We entered one by one. There were so many instruments and machines, which we never saw before. I touched one of the hands of my ailing father, he quickly took his hand away. On the last day (15th January,Saturday), I with my elder brother were there. After more than ten days we sent our mother to one of my sister’s house. At about 2pm, the consultant of ICU called one of attendants to talk about the condition of my father. The doctor did not want to talk to me as he thought that I was too young to bear the truth about abbu. I requested him to say anything. The doctor said that his condition was not good.
At about 3.30pm the doctor on duty again called and I went. He tried to console and asked me to call on my relatives as my father might expire anytime as his BP was getting down and down. After 4.43 pm, one of the nurses again called us to fill up a form as they were going to declare that our father had breathed his last.
I should mention here that our father was under the treatment of Consultant Hematologist Prof Col (retd) Md Moniruzzaman . He had been under his treatment for more than three years. Under his guidance we admitted him to the hospital. He is one of the best doctors I ever saw. He did not only took care of abbu but also gave us moral support. I like to express my gratitude to him on behalf my family members.
My father had to struggle so hard to bring up six children. He was always busy with his professional works. But he tried his best to take care of our study. I never got the chance to tell abbu, that he was the best father according to us, as he always fulfilled our desires and wishes.
…
Our father had completed LLB from Patna Law College and did practice for some days, but did not take law as a profession. He took classes as guest lecturer in early ’80 in Dhaka Law College and also wrote news commentaries for Bangladesh Betar.
Here, I like to focus on the long journalist career of my father. He joined the profession on 1960 and wrote reporting items for English and Urdu dailies published from Patna, India. He worked in the Unity, an English daily, published from Chittagong as Dhaka Bureau Chief and Executive Editor since 1965 to March 1969.
He joined Ispahani Group of Industry as Public Relations and Welfare Officer on May 10, 1969 and worked till December 1971. He worked with the People’s View (published from Chittagong) as Executive Correspondent from 1972 to 1974.
My father worked in ENA (Eastern News Agency) from Sep 1974-1980 as Joint News Editor. He worked in the Eastern Tribune (a weekly) as Executive Editor from July 1980 to 30th April 1982. In The Daily News he worked from May 1982 to Oct. 1988 as Senior Assistant Editor.
Then he joined UNB (United News of Bangladesh) as News Editor and worked there from 15th March 1989 to Nov 1991.
Abbu resigned from UNB and joined The Morning Sun as Senior Assistant Editor and worked there from Dec 1991 to Oct 1996 (till the very day the publication of the paper was stopped) .
He was associated with The Bangladesh Times contributing editorial and post editorials from 1996 to Nov, 1997. Then from 1997 he wrote for The Bangladesh Observer. He was also associated with The Financial Express as contributing Editor from 2002 to 2003.
Lastly, abbu jointed The Good Morning as Assistant Editor on 2003 and worked there till his last days.
He worked in The New Nation, when it was a weekly. From May 2010 to December 2011 he wrote regularly in the paper’s editorial page. His last write up was published in the editorial on 30/26th December, 2011.
On 31st December 2010 we had to take him to the National Press Club to cast vote for DUJ. That time Abbu was in the Monowara Hospital since 29th of that month. He could not walk. So we took him using wheel chair.
Abbu always told me to write one article or two articles every month. Abbu, a renowned journalist was a great personality of plain thinking and simple living and did never run for fame. He used some verses or quotes to inspire us. Such as -eat, drink be merry tomorrow you will die, blood is thicker than water, the stick of Almightily is soundless.
He had a rare quality of tolerance. So he advised us to have patience and maintain it at any cost.
Abbu had so many friends-both professional and non professional, till his last days. One of the finest qualities of his character was that he did not break friendship. He tried heart and soul to continue relationship. I remember, he was ill at the end of October, 2010, still he went to see one of his colleagues cum friends.
May Allah bless his departed soul.
