HUNDREDS gathered at Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka on Thursday noon to bid farewell to Matin (1926-2014), who earned the name ‘Bhasha Matin’ for his role as convener of the all-party state language movement committee in 1952. The tribute there was arranged by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), assisted by Sammilito Sangskritik Jote. But it was not a state function. Senior politicians from the ruling Awami League, BNP, Communist Party of Bangladesh and other Left-leaning parties paid their respect. “He was a great son of this country. The nation thought the state would give him the honour he deserves. But only the state can say why he wasn’t,” said BNP acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. Golam Arieff Tipoo, the Chief Prosecutor at the International Crimes Tribunal, was also disappointed. “Matin Bhai was a conscious and progressive man. It is very painful to know that a man of his stature was not given state honour.Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid who was among the mourners at Shaheed Minar, said he did not know why the honour was not extended to the 88-year old. “I can’t say why he was not given state honour. But he is an icon of the Language Movement. State honour and recognitions are just formalities.” Health and Family Welfare Minister Mohammad Nasim, however, asserted that Abdul Matin had, indeed, been given state honour. “The Prime Minister ordered his treatment. The tribute at Shaheed Minar was arranged by BSMMU. So it is not correct that he was not given state honour.” He was awarded the ‘Ekushey Padak’ in 2001, said Health Minister Nasim. People like Abdul Matin, who are accepted by all walks of society and by all political parties regardless of their political inclinations, are now so rare as to be almost non-existent. But it also indicates that the sacrifices that he made for the country were real – he did not get any profit or power by doing so. He represents a type of person whose motives were genuine – his acts occurred due to real patriotism, and he did not let his greed or desire to get money or status be circumscribed by his ideals of what was wrong or right.People like Language hero Matin are non-existent now because we have lost the will as a nation to protest against what is not right.We need people like Abdul Matin now who have the will to protest against what is wrong.
