My friend Ahmedul Kabir

I used to contact regularly Ahmedul to obtain or confirm various information. Occasionally, when Belgian journalists were visiting Bangladesh, I would always advise them to contact Ahmedul to get a balanced view of the country's problems. As we were often invited to the same official receptions, I would search the company of Ahmedul for whom I had and keep a deep admiration. I was particularly fascinated by his great sense of humour, his honesty and his secularism. I remember in particular how he was attached to his French made car: a vintage Citroen, the only model of its type in Dhaka.

I remember also how he had agreed to write an article in Sangbad about leprosy in Bangladesh, after I had drawn his attention to the ignorance and prejudice of the general public concerning this disease; he immediately sent one of his staff to the leprosy hospital of Jalchatra where, at the time, a few Belgians were working. Ahmedul was a great man and a very warm friend. I will miss him.