‘I want Nishad to feel the presence of his father’

Prolific filmmaker Tareque Masud left a void in his wife Catherine Masud’s life. Tareque Masud passed away on this day (Saturday) in 2011 in a deadly road crash. Catherine Masud talked about her significant other Tareque Masud with Prothom Alo. The interview was taken by Rashel Mahmud.

It’s been five years. Do you feel the presence of Tareque Masud in your life?

Catherine Masud: I feel his presence all the time. I used to consult him if I had to take any serious decision or start a big project. Now I can take crucial decision promptly. I think my sensibility has been intensified after I lost Tareque. When somebody loses their sight, others senses intensify. In my case it is something like that.

Your son Nishad Bingham Putra Masud was only one-year old when Tareque Masud died. How does he get to know his father?

Catherine Masud: I made him a book about his father when he turned two. The book titled 'Your Baba' covers his father’s life. It's about how we met, how he died, what he used to do, what was he like. It has illustrations and uses sentences easy for a child to understand. I wanted to make Nishad feel that his father’s love is always with him. I wanted him to know his father through this book. Nishad is growing up. He has a lot of questions about his father. I am telling the story of Tareque Masud to our son. I want my son to feel the presence of his father in his life although he does not have any memory of him.

What is the update of Tareque Masud’s unfinished projects?

Catherine Masud: I formed the ‘Tareque Masud Memorial Trust’ in 2012 to preserve his works. We are trying our best to make his dreams come true. Tareque died in a road crash on the way to the shooting site of our film Kagojer Phool. This project is unfinished.

What is your take on the young filmmakers who received the Tareque Masud young filmmaker award?

Catherine Masud: Tareque Masud always wanted to reach young minds and inspire them to make creative films. This is why the trust has been holding the short film competition for the past few years. The best one receives Tareque Masud young filmmaker award. We are trying to send selected films to various film festivals. We have plans to release a DVD with the best works in the fifth year. I would like to mention that a recipient of theTareque Masud young filmmaker award recipient made it to one the biggest documentary film festivals, ‘Film South Asia’. This is indeed a great achievement for us.