An elegy for a quiet but fiercely patriotic friend

It is always difficult to write obituary of a friend with whom you have passed a significant time in your life. Nizamuddin Ahmed is such a person. We not only spent time together but also shared many things in our lives. Nizam died of cancer at the age of 68 in distant Toronto, Canada. I used to call him on Viber every week since his departure from Dhaka for treatment in Toronto, where his eldest son Shamim Ahmed lives.
On many evenings, I dropped Nizam from the National Press Club to Katabon Moor intersection, Elephant Road. Sometimes, Harun bhai (N M Harun of Financial Express) was our co-passenger.
One day I did not take my car to the Press Club (it was possibly a day of hartal). Nizam came to the club from his work at the Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) and was sipping a cup of tea. I invited him to return home together on a rickshaw. But as I started walking, I noticed Nizam was unable to keep pace with me. He fell much behind me. I went back and asked what had happened. He said he was not feeling well and requested me to take him to Ibrahim Cardiac Hospital. I got perturbed. I cursed myself for not bringing my transport on the day. There was hardly any vehicle on the streets. I went back to the club and requested Badiuzzaman to lend his car to take Nizam to hospital, which he obliged. By the time I returned to the car park, Zaman's car had whisked Nizam away and reached the hospital in no time.
I followed him in a rickshaw. My two other colleagues-Syed Mamun and Anwaruddin who were returning home in another rickshaw, also followed me. The attending lady doctor took good care of Nizam by the time we reached the hospital. She thanked us for bringing him to the hospital at the earliest. He had suffered a heart attack.
I had become a regular visitor of Nizam at the Ibrahim Cardiac Hospital. Nizam did not like this and asked me not to take the trouble of visiting  him so frequently. He was so caring for others! But I insisted. Nizam stayed in the hospital for a week and then went back home. One day he called me to say that he would go to Toronto for better treatment as desired by his eldest son. Little did I know about the other disease Nizam was suffering from-the deadly lung cancer.
It was early May. Nizam, accompanied by his wife, left for Toronto. I used to call his younger son Sabbir Ahmed (Shuva). One day, Shuva disclosed his father was undergoing cancer treatment. I was taken aback - I was not mentally prepared for this information. I called Nizam in Toronto for the first time and he requested me to pray for his recovery. I never mentioned about cancer during our talk.
Thereafter, we used to talk on Viber every week. Then came a warning when Nizam sent a message on  September 24, 2015 that said: "My time is almost up. Now pray for me." Immediately, I called him and asked him to cool down. I spoke to him several times after that message. But suddenly there was no answer to my calls. On Wednesday (October 21, 2015) night, at around 10, I called Shuva and wanted to know why Nizam was not answering calls. Shuva said his father was not in a situation to answer. I cried - and cried like a child. I could realise my good friend was dying. Around midnight (Wednesday), I woke up and received a call from Shuva. I instinctively knew what it meant. "Uncle, Father is no more," was the only sentence he uttered before hanging the phone. I was wondering why I had called Shuva a few hours ago. Could I sense something bad was coming? There had been hardly a day when I did not pray for his recovery. Mayby, my appeal did not reach the Almighty. I then called Toronto and talked to Shamim's wife for the confirmation of the death news.
Nizam started his career with the People and later worked in the Morning News and the Bangladesh Observer. Before his death he was associated with BSS as consulting editor. Thus came the end of a person's life, which had touched so many hearts.
Nizamuddin Ahmed was a very soft-spoken person but very firm in his belief. He never compromised with his belief and remained very adamant. I remember during the tenure of the Awami League Government in 2009-2014, Nizam was offered a job with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as DG, EP. I accompanied him to the Foreign Ministry to meet with a high dignitary. The conversation was stereotyped and the dignitary wanted to know Nizam's plan to revamp the DG, EP wing. Nizam later confided that he did not approach for the job and would remain without a job rather than answering to such queries. Nizam thought it is the government which knows better how to revamp the External Publicity Wing. Nizam never approached anybody for the job again.
So strong was his faith in the Independence movement - the War of Liberation - that he used to pick up quarrels even with his friends on this issue. He never compromised with his principles, for which he had to struggle and suffer. He was highly read and often quoted the international magazines. As his last wish, his body was buried in Toronto.
I am indeed very lucky to have a friend like Nizam. He has passed away and would never return. But he will remain shining in our memory for years to come. May Allah place him in Jannat and give strength to his family members to bear the loss!
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