Tribute to a teacher
After obtaining MBBS from Dhaka Medical College in 1958 and BDS from de Montmorenci College of Dentistry in Lahore under Punjab University in 1961, he started his teaching career with Dhaka Dental College having only four students in the same year. This Dhaka Dental College, which he moulded to its present shape is now at its full blossom, and enrolls 100 students each year.
It was his untiring efforts that compelled the students to study hard. In the lecture theatre, he had equal commands in both the basic and clinical subjects. For example, just after finishing one lecture on Dental Materials, he rushed to take lecture on Dental Anatomy. On another occasion, while going to take a lecture for the 3rd year students, he was found to deliver a lecture for the 4th year students while passing through the corridors. Those who knew avoided the corridor carefully during intervals.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. He disliked to sit idle and while away time. When he was transferred to IPGMR he did not waste time and started thinking how to start postgraduate education in dentistry in this country. After relentless endeavour, he almost single-handedly introduced the Diploma in Dental Science (DDS) curriculum - the then only post-graduate course in dentistry with Dhaka University. Although there are a host of such post graduate courses available now, he was the pioneer of postgraduate dental education in this country.
He showed dexterity in literature and music as well. Besides writing texts, he authored a good number of fictions and thrillers under the penname of 'Kuasha'. He was a famous lyricist in the 60s and a good number of his songs were composed by Azad Rahman and various other music composers. He translated Arabian Nights and the Holy Qur'an.
To me he was an institution and at his demise, a history-maker entered into the pages of history. But his name will be remembered as long as dentistry in our country survives . May Allah grant him eternal peace.