He was out and out a professional person. He was a man of integrity and a source of inspiration.
He was such a personality who had all kinds of human qualities.
He was a man who had inspired and guided subordinates of his newspaper profoundly.
His professionalism, honesty in the field of journalism and other human virtues remain for us a set of guidelines on how to lead our lives and move forward.
His works and deeds will live on.
His acceptance to the media domain was widely accepted due to his professional integrity and sincerity.
This is how the journalists and employees of The Financial Express paid their tributes to their former beloved editor of the country's leading English business daily, AHM Moazzem Hossain, who had left behind us on August 01 last to mourn this loss.
One on hand, late Moazzem was uncompromising on professional matters and on the other hand he was kind enough to the journalists and other employees of his newspaper.
On an average, he had spent eight to ten hours at his office.
And even after returning home, he had guided the journalists and staff when the newspaper was about going to the press for printing.
He was considered the pioneer of business reporting.
"He was a workaholic person. He had guided us professionally. He evaluated his employees/ journalists on the basis of his/ her merit/ quality," said Md Aminul Islam, computer section in-charge of the newspaper.
Mr Aminul has been with the newspaper since its inception in 1993.
And during the long span of time he found late Moazzem Hossain as a person obsessed with development of his newspaper and he held professionalism above everything.
He quoted the late editor as saying, "Aminul… please work hard. My priority is now to make the organisation profitable so that I can pay salaries to my journalists and employees on 5th of every month".
The late editor had kept his words.
And after some days the computer section was allocated a spacious room by the late editor to accommodate the staff of the section.
Mahfujul Hoque, Reader-in-Charge (Reading Section) of the daily, said that he started working with late Moazzem Hossain in late nineties (1990s).
"One or two sentences will not suffice to express the feelings about working with Moazzem Bhai," he said.
He said that late Moazzem Bhai did not spare anybody from any section of his newspaper to admonish if there was any mistake.
At the same time he also behaved politely with any of the staff as if he was like a senior family member of their own, he said.
He said Moazzem Bhai's memories will live on among us through his works, ideology and virtues.
He had many fond memories with Moazzem Hossain. He recalled that one day a barrister came to him (late Moazzem). The barrister was writing something.
At one stage late Moazzem Bhai halted him and started writing himself and finished it.
"The barrister then read out the writing of Moazzem Bhai. He was astonished by the range of law-related knowledge Moazzem Bhai possessed," he said.
On another occasion, Mr Mahfuz met with the late editor at a wedding ceremony of a photographer of the newspaper.
The late editor said to him, "Mahfuz, please meet me before leaving (wedding ceremony venue). He met him. He gave him 10-12 files and requested him to finish those.
"I (Moazzem) am coming to the office after an hour," the late editor reminded him.
Mr Mahfuz recalled that despite his business the late editor visited him at hospital when he was undergoing treatment before a bypass operation.
'Moazzem Bhai' came to his beloved office (The Financial Express) before going to Singapore for treatment. He signed some important papers so that journalists and staffers of the daily could get salaries on time.
- Rajab Ali, senior manager (advertisement) of the daily, said, "I have been working with the daily for the last 24 years. One day I made a phone call to our late editor at around 2:00 am while I was working on the printing matter of our newspaper. He had received my phone call and gave some instructions."
He quoted the late editor as saying, "Rajab Ali… you could call me any time whenever you feel necessary. I am ready to assist you any time in the interest of the newspaper".
Md Firoz Hossain, manager (Govt advertisement) of the daily, said, "His manner, professionalism and virtues will give us inspiration to work diligently in the days to come."
"He was such a personality who had a wide range of knowledge about all the affairs of our newspaper. It will be difficult to see another person like him," he said.
He said that late Moazzem never believed in any kind of hearsay (false allegations made by one staffer against another).
"In the event of any allegation he used to call both the parties and take judicious a decision," he said.
He said that none could motivate him in their petty personal interest.
Manager (collection) of the daily Mohammed Sultan Ahamed said, "He was fully an honest person. He had a habit of listening to the problems of his staff/journalists politely and attentively."
He maintained transparency in all his deeds.
"It would be hard to find a man like him in the days ahead ," he said.
"He judged all journalists and employees of the daily by professionalism," said Sayeduzzaman Arzu, shift in-charge of the computer section of the newspaper.
"I didn't find any good person like him (late Moazzem Hossain)," said Md Anamul Hoque Chowdhury (Didar), an assistant computer programmer of the daily.
He said that the late editor advised him to remain honest and work hard to ensure success in life.
"The affection of my sir to his office staff was unparallel. He was so kind to us which is unforgettable," said Md Manik Mia, office assistant of the daily.
"I never found such a good person like him. He was a glowing example of a hard working person," said Md Wahidur Rahman (Masum), receptionist (telephone operator) at the daily.
"He was not only an editor of a newspaper. He was an institution. He had given priority to work. He was polite and overall a gentle man," said Shaikh Masum, also working at the reception desk.
"My sir never behaved wrongly with me during my seven years of work experience with him," Md Noor Nobi, an office assistant of the daily, said.
"He was a kind and good person. He always inquired about us," said Md Mostafa Kamal, another office assistant.
Almighty Allah sent some good men to the world in times of needs who are unparallel considering their behaviour and other human qualities and virtues.
Late Moazzem Hossain was a person who always thought about the welfare of his office staff and the newspaper rather than his own.
It is a bitter but undeniable fact that many newspapers in the country could not provide salaries to their journalists/staff on time due to some financial constraints.
But late Moazzem Hossain was exceptional. He himself ensured giving salaries, bonuses and other benefits to his newspaper journalists and other employees on time.
Let's hope the good instances and tradition he had set will be valued most and treasured by the members of The Financial Express in the years to come. That will be the most perfect way of paying true tributes to his memories.
