For the good of others

Many people have a mind to contribute to the community. For some it's a calling that awards the welfare of others higher priority than their own. At 67 years old, Tangail's former teacher and politician M A Razzaque from Boali village in Sakhipur upazila struggles to cover living costs. Suffering from debilitating Parkinson's disease, the man who donated a good portion of his assets for community use finds it difficult to afford medicine.

“My uncle played a major role in local road construction,” says Razzaque's niece Sakhina Begum. “But there's no road leading to his worn-out dwelling. My uncle is such a man. He donated all his landholdings to the school and college.”

Razzaque founded Boali High School on a part of his ancestral land. Subsequently he served as the school's headmaster. Later he donated the rest of his land which, along with some adjacent parcels became the Boali Degree College.

From a young age the farmer's son was interested in politics. Razzaque participated in the 1966 Anti-Ayub Movement, the Mass Movement of 1969 and the 1971 Liberation War.

“Even as a student he was involved,” says wife Hasina Begum. Razzaque was a member of the left-leaning Chhatra Union at the time. “It was the reason his father encouraged our marriage while he was still studying, to restrain his political fervour. But he never lost interest.”

Razzaque studied mathematics at Saadat College in Tangail's Karatia but ultimately graduated with a Bachelor of Education from a teacher's training college in Dhaka. He first joined Sakhipur's Nalua High School as an assistant teacher.

He was organising secretary of the Bangladesh Teachers' Association. He served as head of the local cooperative society. Always driven by the thought of doing more for his community, Razzaque joined the then-ruling party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.

As general secretary of the BNP's upazila unit he promoted development, organised the construction of roads, culverts, bridges, mosques and madrasas. He had a playground built, founded markets and set up a post office. In public life, he earned a reputation for sincerity.

But the tide of time and politics waits for none. These days the once-spirited Razzaque is paralysed and has lost the ability to speak. Nor, in the current political climate, is his political contribution to his community well-celebrated.

“The first signs of disease occurred about a decade ago when he was working as the high school's headmaster,” says his wife. Nowadays it's up to her to manage the family.

“We receive a Tk 2,000 monthly allowance from the high school he founded,” she says, “and Tk 700 in rent from a small shop in the market. He used to get Tk 3,000 per month from the college too but for the last few months that has been suspended.”

“Though my husband took part in the Liberation War,” she laments, “his name is not enlisted as a freedom fighter, despite having all the supporting documents.”

Yet Razzaque is well-regarded in the community even by those of different political affiliation. “Our Razzaque Sir spread the light of education as a dedicated teacher, and he worked his entire life for people's development as an honest politician,” says Sayeed Azad, the college principal and a local Awami League leader.