We remember Azimuddin Ahmed, our uncle on his 2nd death anniversary on June 11, 2017, by paying tribute to his departed soul. Time really does fly. It was just like the other day when we were all having Chinese at his place and at the same time captivated by his stories which should rather have remained untold if we were not attending the dinner. He was reminiscing incidences where he survived death, not once, but twice. What gives someone the strength to survive? I do not know, but I have no doubt that he had the strength and courage to overcome that harrowing experience and live the life to its fulfilment. Once he was a victim of a car accident, where jeep fell into the ditch and he somehow survived with a severe blow into his spinal cord. The pain lingered all through his life. It did not come to our mind then why he was talking about such painful experiences. He might have a feeling that we would not be going to live longer and outpoured his sufferings. He lived only a month after that meeting. He used writing as a positive vehicle of his helplessness to control his pain and thus spent night after night to pen his thoughts. His waking hours spent on sofa writing poetry thus his poems expressed emotional pain rather than physical pain. Brave in solitude!! The poem, "The Lonely House", by dear uncle is still ringing into my ears. Now, the house is lonely in true sense without him. He left us all to the eternal world, but left behind his memories.
A member of erstwhile Civil Service of Pakistan (CSP), he held many high-ranking positions in different capacities of the Government of Bangladesh. He retired as Home Secretary of Bangladesh in December 1995. Earlier he held positions including Secretary to the Ministry of Home Affairs (twice), Secretary of Energy, Chairman and Director of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation, and Chairman of Bangladesh Tea Board and many other senior administrative positions.
With his busy professional life, he never forgot to help the needy and forgotten people. His door was always open to the people who were in dire need of help.
He was a very down to earth person. He loved fine cuisine and a sweet egg dish, popularly known as 'Deemer Halwa', a fine delicacy of our household. Those who eat "Delhi Ka Laddoo" and those who don't, both live to regret it. This home-made sweet is no less tastier than that of Laddoo.
Be with his brother at home or at Dhaka Club surrounded by friends and admirers, he amazed everyone with his knowledge on subjects like science to literature, sports to music, and politics to religion over a cup of tea or coffee. Often discussion led to a fiery debate, but a healthy one.
Azimuddin Ahmed is no longer with us. His nieces and nephews remember him of this day by praying for the departed soul. Dear uncle is eternally sleeping beside his beloved wife at Banani graveyard. May their souls rest in peace. Every niece and nephew has their own story to share. I recall someone mentioning "Memories last only if you share them" and truly believe it.
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