Prof. Hafiz G.A. Siddiqui, the former Vice Chancellor of the North South University (NSU) and former Director of the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), University of Dhaka, on May 22, 2018 said good bye to this world on his way to eternal rest at the heaven. He lived a gloried life, and also a full life, upto 86 years of age. Hafiz G.A. Siddiqui was a professor and a long time vice Chancellor at the first privately founded University - The North South University, known as the NSU.
When DR Siddiqui was a teacher at the IBA, University of Dhaka in the late 1960's, I was a student in the Department of Economics at the same University. Later, I joined as a teacher in Economics Department of the university in the middle of 1970's. I used to visit IBA very frequently. The IBA was initially situated in the same building of the Arts Faculty and was later shifted to its own building, probably in early 1970s. There were some teachers who taught both in the Economics Department and IBA; one of them was the famous economist the late Prof. Mozaffar Ahmed.
I found Hafiz G.A. Siddiqui at the IBA in his youth. He was probably an Associate Professor then. There were a good number of talented teachers at the IBA, and Hafiz G.A. Siddiqui was one of them. Hafiz G.A. Siddiqui drew the attention of his colleagues and other peer groups within a short time as a scholar, both in teaching and research. He later taught also at some reputed universities in the USA.
I had a very good relationship with him. When he became the Director of the IBA, I started addressing him as 'Sir'. He was such a person that anyone talked to him felt comfortable. Whenever I visited IBA, for meeting teachers or looking for books at the IBA library, I always looked around to meet Dr. Hafiz G.A. Siddiqui. He as soft spoken and symbol of what one can call a fine gentleman. Later when he joined the North South University, the first private university in the country, as its Vice-Chancellor, then also I used to visit him at his office which was initially located on the Kemal Ataturk Avenue, at Banani.
The NSU made progress under his stewardship. He steadfastly faced the challenges at the NSU which surfaced at its formative stages. I still used to meet him at many social and academic gatherings and my relationship with him grew to a new height as time passed.
I found Dr. Siddiqui physically weak in his old age, particularly in the last years of his life. Whenever we met, he used to greet me with a beaming face. He was a good man and a successful teacher.
Dr. Hafiz G.A. Siddiqui's students are now at the very top places in the country. The nation has lost a great educationist and administrator in his death.
Dr. Abu Ahmed is Professor of Economics at the University of Dhaka. [email protected]
