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Lest We Forget

Justice Debesh Bhattacharya

A daughter-in-law’s belated letter to her father-in-law on his 90th birthday

Irina Bhattacharya writes from Washington DC
It takes some time to realise that thp person who was close to you for a long time is not with you any more. That day, second of February 2004,1 was with you for the last time. Even when you left us I could not accept it, I still do not.
You were the first person who welcomed me to your family; you didn't have doubts in me. I remember the summer of 1983 when you came to Moscow on your way to Prague Peace Conference. I was told that you are coming to our university hostel. That day 1 was very nervous. You were smiling, warm and I felt welcome. It was our fist introduction and I was blessed by you for the last 20 years.
As long as I remember, you were always working, sitting in your chamber, surrounded by your books. People from different backgrounds everyday came to see you, seeking your wise advice and kind help. You were the most generous person I have ever met.
Your life was a complete one. I sometimes wondered how you could manage with time in accomplishing all you obligations. Apart from your profession as a jurist, you were also actively involved with many social, educational and philanthropic organisations. You always wanted to do new things in your village home in EUenga. The people of Ellenga always recall your contributions, particularly for establishing the girls' high school in your mother's name. Ellenga people came in thousands to pay their last respect to you.
Your were also the President of the Gandhi Ashram in Joyag, Noakhali and the President of the Probartak Sangha in Chittagang. Work with these organisations required a lot of time and dedication from you - you also had to travel to these places. Our last long trip together was in 2001 when you presided over the opening ceremony of the museum dedicated to Gandhi's visit to Noakhali. President Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed was the chief guest on the occasion. For more then two iTdta’dVs ydu wdre the PTesidbrWhf Ramakrishna Mission in Dhaka. Not a single event could happen there without you.
You were always respected and loved by everyone, particularly for your knowledge and gentle behaviour. Your life is an excellent example for the new generation. I
remember the days when young mothers with their children came to our house in War! to get your blessings. I wonder how many children now have names given by you and what has happened to those whom you gave first lessons in alphabets during their initiation ceremonies. I am sure they are on the right path in their lives now.
We used to talk quite often about your childhood and the days spent by you in Presidency College in Kolkata. You fondly recalled those days in great details. You joked sometimes that science was not your subject - you realised it when couldn't pass practical exams in chemistry. It helped you to choose your right vocation in law. As a child you liked to play football. During one of those games your knee was injured and you suffered from this up to the old age.
You were a man of great and many interests. In your floor to roof library, among the law books I could find | classics by Adam Smith, Charles Darwin, Aldous Huxley, H.G. Wells and, of course Marx and Lenin. You were also a great admirer of Rabindranath Tagore and Swami. Vivekananda. Your last public function was in 2003 when you went to the Bangladesh Supreme Court Bar /Association to donate your law library.
As a person with progressive values you could not stay outside political processes in your country. You took active part in anti-colonial movement in those days. After the creation of Pakistan, you were put in prison, tortured and went on hunger strike with other political prisoners. You were 34 at that lime, just married to a young wife Chitra Bhattacharya, who stood by you in those years working as a teacher in a school in Mymensingh and supplied you with newspapers in prison. In 1998 we celebrated the golden anniversary of your marriage. This great lady had a lot of contribution in your life. We felt proud when she was made member of the Bangladesh Parliament in 1996.
Years in prison did not break your spirit and will. The sufferings during the independence struggle in 1971 only validated your positive thinking. Yd ft'1 were an eternal optimist; always thinking about the good side of a person or an event.
I came to know more about your great legal accomplishments after you left us. All those condolence messages from high and low recalled your contribution as a lawyer and then as a judge. Your
judgments upheld the rights of the people and created precedence. In the condolence meeiings the social and professional leaders talked about your courage and prudence and lamented that people like you
are very rare nowadays.
Poetry was always your passion. In prison you wrote some philosophical verses which later were included in your book of poetry "Kalpakabya Manjusha". I feel bad that we are yet to bring out volumes containing all your works including your historic judgments.
You were the first from the Hindu community in Bangladesh who spoke out for reforms of Hindu Personal Law so that the rights of Hindu women are protected. You wrote a thesis in this regard, as far as I remember, sometime in 1987 and your proposals were not accepted by the majority in the community. How sad you were that day I
Your life is an example of dedicated service to people. Your love for others shaped a lot of lives including my own and my
daughter’s. I remember you as a warm, soft spoken, honest and generous human being with a sharp sense of humour. But how stubborn you were sometimes! Nothing and nobody could change your mind if you set up to do some thing. What a rich personality you were!
November 3 was your 90th birthday! Your birthday was always a special day for our family. We used to celebrate it with cake and‘flowers, invite our friends; sometimes you recited your poems. There will countinue be cake and flowers on the occasion, but the great man will be not among us.
Life is not the same for all of us anymore without you. It could not be. You enriched us with your wisdom and kindness and there is nothing to replace it
We miss you, Bobo.