Political leaders, academics and activists on Friday remembered former ambassador and columnist M Serajul Islam saying that Serajul was a true patriot who spent his whole life in working for the country.
The Dhaka Forum and family of organised the event on his life and legacy marking the departure of Serajul alias Shobuj who died in Washington DC at the age of 77 on August 11.
At the event, Salehuddin Ahmed, adviser to the interim government for finance and commerce, said that Seraj had been very optimistic since he was a student.
When many people got frustrated with oppressive rule of the Awami League, Seraj was optimistic and he worked for the country untiringly, he added.
鈥榃e are celebrating the victory but he is no more with us,鈥� the adviser also said.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said that Serajul worked for the country when the country needed him.
鈥業 hoped to work together when the country would be free from autocratic regime but he left us,鈥� Fakhrul said, adding that the people of the country fought hard to oust the government.
BNP鈥檚 standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said that Serajul was a brilliant columnist and an eloquent public speaker.
He said that though he was not a politician but he was bold and brave when he needed to be.
He said that Serajul had a huge contribution to the latest student-led mass protest that ousted the fascist government and compelled former prime minister Sheikh Hasina to resign and flee to Indiua on August 5.
Former Dhaka University professor Mahbub Ullah said that Serajul was not a traditional diplomat.
He could speak about the right issue at the right time, he added.
Former ambassador Iftikharul Karim said that Serajul had written over 3,000 articles in different newspapers on different topics such as freedom of expression and human rights that contributed to create public opinion.
Former Jahangirnagar University professor Dilara Chowdhury said that Serajul did what he believed.
She also said that Serajul did not expect anything in return.
A one-minute silence was observed in memory of Serajul Islam.
Seraj鈥檚 daughters Sabrina Islam Rahman and Naureen Islam urged people to pray for their father.
Former bureaucrat Ahmad Mahmudur Raza Chowdhury moderated the event which was addressed by by rights activists Monsur Ahmed Chowdhury and Farah Kabir, former state minister for foreign affairs Abul Hasan Chowdhury, DU Alumni Association president Rakib Uddin Ahmed and former ambassadors Shahed Akhtar and Shahed Akter, among others, were present at the event.
