Our companion forever

Abed has left us. But it will not be possible to bid him farewell. He will remain our companion forever. From the Liberation War down till today, he has entered the very pores of our society. There is not a single area in society that has not been touched by Abed.

Abed was the main driver of social change in Bangladesh. His creative talent reached to every nook and corner, to the quicksand and tricky unwritten norms of society. He was committed to change everything and set up a brand new structure.

It would perhaps not be an exaggeration to say that there is hardly anyone among the 170 million people of Bangladesh who have not benefitted in one way or the other from Abed’s work. If he belongs to the rural poor of Bangladesh, to the women of the country, then there is Abed’s mark everywhere – in education, health, earnings, self-awareness and so much more. How can we bid farewell to Abed who unknowingly became our everyday companion?

Abed was the extraordinary driver of social and economic emancipation for the poor people of Bangladesh. He was the liberator of the common people from financial poverty.

He silently built up his expansive field of work. He didn’t bother to wait for anyone to respond to his call, but marched forward alone. He took all responsibility on his own shoulders. He went ahead to address all problems on his own accord.

Abed changed the perception about NGOs globally. It had been unimaginable that an NGO could come forward with solutions for almost all the problems in a country. It was Abed who gave the concept of a massive NGO that had innumerable programmes and institutions at home and abroad.

His even greater contribution was establishing a new science for the management of a single or multilateral NGO. He will be ever remembered for this.

Economic analysts of India, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka often ask, whatever is done in Bangladesh spreads around the whole country. Why doesn’t this happen in our countries? I always have one reply: there hasn’t been an Abed born in your country as yet.

Abed created a Bangladesh filled with hope. His immeasurable courage, self-confidence and creativity will inspire generations to come. Many generations ahead he will remain alive among them.

You have made it easy for the future generations to build up Bangladesh on the foundation you have set.

Abed, the nation will remain every grateful to you.

* Muhammad Yunus is an economist, founder of Grameen Bank and Nobel Prize winner of Bangladesh. This piece has been rewritten in English by Ayesha Kabir