Remembering our nana

The void that has encapsulated our lives in the wake of his absence knows no bounds. From the day we were born till the day he passed away, he had always made it a point to shield us from each and every unfavourable circumstance that hit our paths. He paved for us a life full of great possibilities, abundance of hope and a plethora of privileges, which, when we introspect, would not have ever materialised without his empowering presence in the family and infinite contributions. From helping us in our studies to taking us to all those wonderful vacations abroad, he never stopped trying to make our everyday lives a little less complicated and a little more beautiful. Finding time out of his super busy schedule to drop us off to school, taking us to bookstores and always ensuring that we studied hard and attained good grades are things we will always be grateful for. Unlike a lot of people around us, he never judged us harshly despite all our flaws, failures and various other idiosyncrasies, rather believed wholeheartedly in all the successes he felt we were capable of grasping in the future. Even at times while he was angry, it was always backed up by years of experience, wisdom and a genuine concern about our well-being. The patience and resilience he displayed in our growing up period is a rare quality that we are yet to discover in any person till now. We truly miss from the depth of our hearts the never-ending enthusiasm and determination he would show in our academics and extracurricular activities from sitting with us while we completed our lessons, checking our assignments with thoroughness, even going as far as making notes for us to visiting our school science fairs and encouraging to participate in sports. The ways he would always prioritise our well-being and comforts even if it meant a battle with the world, are unparalleled to any gestures of compassion, sacrifice and generosity anyone has ever bestowed upon us. He was an individual truly progressive for his generation; progressive because we have directly witnessed people of his generation placing more emphasis on child rearing and household chores than higher education and career development- a thought process in which we felt he differed to a great extent, reflecting in the manner in which he unabashedly supported our mother with her career aspirations. He mastered the art of maintaining the work-life balance what with striking the perfect chord between keeping up with his professional endeavours and dedicating time towards our upbringing. The utter devotion he channelled towards fulfilling his ambitions in his last years, be it attending conferences around the globe or writing a book, illustrates his indomitable work spirit, acting as a huge source of motivation for us in working towards our academic goals and commitments. He epitomised all the qualities of a hardworking, caring, determined and strong-willed persona. He has left behind plenty of memories to cherish, an array of wise words to live by, a wealth of achievements to take inspiration from. We truly hope that his soul finds solace in the heavens above.

In memory of their maternal grandfather Late Prof Dr. Aminul Islam. He served as the VC of National University and Daffodil International University during his long, illustrious career.