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In memory of Saber Reza Karim

MD MATIUL ISLAM
MY long association with Saber Reza Karim, spanning over 58 years, started in Lahore in 1952 and ended with his death in his sleep in the early hours of December 16 in Dhaka. We were colleagues and batchmates in the Civil Service of Pakistan and met for the first time in Lahore after joining the Civil Service Academy as probationers.
The nine-month long training course in the Academy was designed to groom new entrants into Civil Service as model administrators. The training programme included course studies and exams on Civil and Criminal Procedure Code, Penal Code, Revenue Laws of both wings of the country, Islamiat, field training, attachment with district administration as well as learning to dress in black or white dinner jackets -- depending on whether it was summer or winter -- for attending formal dinners. In between came horse riding, lessons on tennis, typing, the art of speech making and essay writing. Under the watchful eye of a senior British ICS officer, we entered the Academy as raw meat and came out as well-done steaks.
Saber excelled in all departments, but horse-riding was not his strong point. Once, returning from a cross-country ride, Saber, who was riding next to me, was thrown out of the saddle by his mount and in a split second he fell fiat on the ground. Fortunately, he did not break any bone but had to walk back two miles to the Academy in his riding gear of boots and breeches.
For the speaking test, the subject he selected was "East Bengal" to give a first hand preview of Bengal to our colleagues from West Pakistan. He spoke about our history, culture, tradition, language, food-habits as well as the weather. His depiction of Norwester (Kal-Boishakhi), vivid description of its fury and destructive power, mesmerised the listeners.
Saber and myself teamed up to visit Delhi and Calcutta on our way back to Dhaka after completion of training. We got accommodation in a guest room of Pakistan High Commission in Delhi where our last place of call was the Shrine of Hazrat Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya, the famous Sufi Saint who died in 1325 and is buried there. His great disciple Amir Khosru was also buried in a nearby graveyard within the premises of
theDargah.
In 1972, I visited the Shrine again when I went on an official visit to Delhi as Finance Secretary, Government of Bangladesh. The Khadem who had escorted us during our first visit in 1953, immediately recognised me and enquired about my friend Saber Reza Karim. It was amazing that the Khadem, whom we met 20 years ago, instantly recognised me and vividly remembered Saber. His mind must be working like computer. I told him that Saber was not well, had a heart valve replacement surgery and was in London posted as the economic minister in the Bangladesh Embassy. He led a special prayer for Saber's recovery and long life.
In 1^70, Saber was posted in Karachi as the finance director of National Shipping Corporation. In between, he held a number of important positions with distinction both in East and West Pakistan. Recently, when I mentioned to Mr. Samson Chowdhury about the death of Saber, he instantly remembered him as the deputy commissioner of Pabna where Saber was posted about 50 years ago. Saber also held the most coveted position of deputy secretary cabinet,
Government of Pakistan, where he had been working very closely with the high-ups in the central government. A foreign posting from that position was almost routine. However, Saber opted to take a posting in East Pakistan.
In 1970, I was in the private sector working as a director of Pakistan National Oil posted in Dhaka. I met Saber and Sitara frequently in Karachi. In 1971,1 found that he had gone abroad on long leave for medical treatment.
I heard from him again in 1972 when I took over as the finance secretary, GOB. He wrote that he had to undergo a valve replacement surgery in Houston and was in London with Sitara passing a miserable life with no source of income. He needed constant medical checkups and his health condition would not permit him to return to Bangladesh. I immediately spoke to the finance minister and sought his consent to post Saber in the Bangladesh High Commission as the economic minister. In his typical manner, Tajuddin nodded his head and the posting order was issued. Keeping in view his health condition and the rigours of London posting, an official transport was also sanctioned for him.
TWo years later, he was transferred to Washington as the economic minister in the Bangladesh Embassy and took up residence in Bethesda, where I was also residing and working as alternate executive director in the World Bank. With his interest in literature, music, poetry and Sitara;s warm hospitality, his house became the venue of some cultural activities of the Bengali luminaries, of whom Mr. Syed Nuruddin, the press counsellor in the Bangladesh Embassy, was one.
Saber Reza Karim was a very senior civil servant and should have occupied the post of secretary to the government, or an ambassador when posted outside Bangladesh. Due to his heart condition, he was unable to return to Bangladesh to take up his rightful place in the administrative hierarchy and had to accept a lower position. His compensation was that his son, Shah, who was a very bright student, got the opportunity to study in the best educational institutions in USA and got well settled in life. Shaji, their daughter, and her children were also a source of great joy and solace for Saber and Sitara.
Saber's qulkhani, attended by people from all walks of life, spoke eloquently of
his popularity, diversified interest and social activities that he was associated with during his lifetime. In his death. I lost a friend with whom 1 had closely Interacted for long 58 years and whose memory I will cherish for the remainder of my life.
Md. Matiul Islam is a former Secretary. Government of Bangladesh