The end of an era

Mr. ABM Musa is no more. He breathed his last on Wednesday (April 09, 2014) at the Labaid Hospital in the city. His death has not come as a bolt from the blue. As the news of his death was announced, a pall of gloom descended on the media community. The 83-year-old veteran journalist was fighting for his life, and was in and out of hospital for last several months.

As the news of his death was announced, a pall of gloom descended on the media community. His friends, relations and admirers thronged the hospital and his residence on hearing the sad news. He was respected as a "guardian" of the journalism profession. The familiar face in the newspapers and televisions, and more importantly, in the National Press Club, will now be badly missed. Even at the old age and at times with frail health, he would not miss any opportunity of visiting the Press Club. Mr. Musa had in a way become synonymous with the Press Club. Not long ago, not only he dropped in the club with a failing health but was also accompanied by his handicapped wife Setara Musa in a wheel chair. Setera Musa, the eldest daughter of late celebrated editor Abdus Salam, is a writer and journalist. A founder member of the Press Club, Mr. Musa served the club for many years as its president and general secretary.

ABM Musa was literally a colossus in the profession of journalism. He needs no introduction and only "Musa" is more than enough for his identity. To many, he was respected "Musa Bhai", for many middle-aged and relatively younger media persons, he was "Dear Sir" and to a handful of his friends, who are still living, he was  simply "Musa.

Mr.  Musa had so many feathers in his cap that it is quite difficult to mention all of them. He was editor of several top-ranking newspapers - both Bangla and English, one of the most notable columnist and a very popular face in the television talk shows. He was the chief of the state-run Bangladesh Television soon after independence, chief editor and managing director of the national news agency BSS, director general of the Press Institute of Bangladesh and a leader of the journalistic world. Many say that his stint as the news editor of the then Pakistan Observer was one of the finest periods of his career. He also worked with the ESCAP.

I was quite close to him. I, who have spent uninterrupted forty four years in the profession of journalism, got familiar with the media through Mr. ABM Musa. As I wrote during his lifetime, it was he who took me to the Press Club for the first time way back in 1966 when I was in my college days. I began my profession in 1968 as the university correspondent of the then Pakistan Observer with the help of Mr. Musa. I was then a student of the Political Science Department of Dhaka University.

I knew him from by boyhood as we were neighbours in the Joynag Road of Bakshi Bazaar where several other journalists, who later became icons of the profession, lived. Late Mr. MR Akthar Mukul, late Santosh Gupta, late Mozammel Huq (PIA Cairo flight victim) and late Abdul Awwal Khan are among them. It was in late fifties and early sixties. I was then in my school days. My father was a lawyer. The young journalists, as they were in those days, used to come to our house. But Mr. Musa and we were the closest neighbours, living in adjacent houses. We - brothers and sisters - would call him "khalu" and his wife "Khala". Their children, especially Ruma and Jhuma - grew up before us and we used to treat their house as ours. They were very fond of gourmet food and I have no hesitation to admit that we the boys and girls of the locality used to visit that house mainly for the attraction of lovely food. The couple were well-known for their hospitality. It is in that environment, "Khalu" brought some of us to the Press Club in 1966 and treated us to famous "Dal Phuri" and beef of the club.

Mr. Musa's career was topsy-turvy as he was also in politics. He was elected as a member of parliament (MP) in 1973. He was active during the liberation war; he sent dispatches to foreign media from Mujibnagar and the war zones.

It was known in those days that four prominent journalists were close to the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Musa was one them - others being late MR Akthar  Mukul, late Faiz Ahmed and Abdul Gaffar Chowdhury - all freedom-fighters. Like many others, I greatly respect all four of them. I used to touch the feet of two of them in reverence. They were Mr. Musa and Mr. Faiz Ahmed who gave me job in the BSS in January, 1972. Now that three of the "Gang of Four" are dead, Abdul Gaffar Chowdhury, who lives in London, will possibly feel very lonely.

On a philosophical note, no individual is free from controversy. What matters in this context, is the level of the controversy and the rationale of niceties and virtues. Mr. Musa might have also landed in controversies during his long career.

ABM Musa was a man of strong personality and at times he would be too tough on matters that he thought were right. He was my boss in the BSS; he never showed leniency when it came to getting the task done. At the same time, he was soft at heart, who would scold someone but then would embrace him as well.  As the BSS MD, he reprimanded me  on occasions, but he was also quick to congratulate me when much later I stepped into his shoes as the head of the BSS. He was a very affectionate man, who would bring sumptuous food items to the office and call others to share with him. At times, he would go out of his ways to assist someone.

Mr. Musa loved to talk and as a good conversationalist, he could discuss any subjects, ranging from sports to music. However, politics was his penchant and he would crack wit and humour in discussing complex issues. He would give vent to his feelings on difficult and divisive issues without fear and favour. He took comfort that he was mostly driven by his conscience but would not demonstrate pride or stubbornness as he too would bend at one stage if convinced by opponent's arguments. Many senior citizens would call him "Musa Bhai" respectfully even if they differed with him on many matters. His presence was impressive in any gathering as he could steal the show.

The passing away of Musa is definitely a great loss not only to the media world but also to the nation as a whole.

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