Kibria's killing is a psychic trauma for the nation

In this country we have had the sad experience of seeing many leaders depart in violence. Even for a nation used to this gruesome culture, Mr. Kibria's death has symbolised a new paradigm of evil. Across the social spectrum, there has been a level of shock and horror which, I think, is unprecedented. Those who killed Mr. Kibria did not kill just another leader. He was, a man of rare qualities who is a pride for any country. His service to this nation was enormous. Had he lived longer, it is probable that he would have contributed much more. Few Bangladeshi attained a higher international stature, and this has been reflected in the shock and concerns expressed by other nations over his killing.

I came to know Mr. Kibria in Islamabad in 1969, two years after I joined Pakistan Foreign Service. My first impression of him was that he was very caring to the Bengalee colleagues in the foreign office, specially the junior officers. He was the kind of a senior colleague from whom juniors could get support and guidance, and learn a lot. He contributed much to my own career.

In 1973 when he went to Australia on his first ambassadorial appointment, I worked with him for a short and happy spell as a junior officer. I again worked with him for a short period when he became Foreign Secretary in 1978.

The thing I liked about him was that he was always ready to listen, and accept a view point if it could be presented in a rational light.

An officer who tops the list in a nationwide civil service examination as Mr. Kibria did, has to have A bright mind. I felt an extraordinary respect for his insights into issues. His talent for analysis and his clarity of articulation were of a remarkable order. The procession of his thoughts, when he would make a point, had a persuasive logic. I have a vivid memory of an important meeting that he was attending shortly after he became Foreign Secretary. The foreign Minister Mr. Shamsul Huq was presiding over the meeting which was to decide some important postings to our overseas missions. Every time Mr. Kibria gave his views on a posting proposal, he was sharp, clear and to the point. His arguments were unassailable and his class so evident.

When Mr. Kibria had his first high level call on a senior official of the Australian foreign office in 1973, after he joined the mission as the High Commissioner, an Australian diplomat who was present during the call later spoke admiringly about him: "Your new High Commissioner is a thorough professional", he told me.

I will relate another episode. This was related to me by a leading tea entrepreneur of Sylhet who, as Chamber President, accompanied Mr. Kibria to Paris during an aid consortium meeting. After the consortium there was a foreign investor's forum with the object of attracting investment to Bangladesh. This Chamber President told me recently that Mr. Kibria made a great impact by a presentation he made. An Indian who was representing an American telecommunication firm observed after listening to Mr. Kibria's Presentation: "Your finance minister is a man of high order. We don't have many like him, in our country".

During his relatively brief stint as Foreign Secretary, a remarkable contribution that he made was with respect to the formation of the SAARC. He played the key role in fleshing out the concept of a regional organisation for South Asia which was conceived by President Ziaur Rahman. Mr. Kibria led the Bangladesh delegation to the first meeting in Colombo in April 1981 when the idea of SAARC was put across to our South Asian neighbours. One should not forget that selling the idea of SAARC was not easy given the complex regional politics and the barriers of Indo-Pak distrust that existed at the time.

Apart from his intellectual and professional excellence Mr. Kibria had a genuine love for his country. I remember that in Australia, where I worked with him in our mission, he used to become emotional while talking about the atmosphere of freedom in Dhaka after Bangladesh came into being. He used to tell me that he relished a feeling of delight in those early days of our independence that he had not known before while serving in Pakistan. I could feel what a true and patriotic son of the soil he was. His role in the liberation war also attests his love for Bangladesh. During his university days he suffered imprisonment for his involvement in language movement.

Mr. Kibria was not a run of the mill politician. He did not take to politics for any material gains. When he retired after serving in an exalted UN post for 11 years, he could have lived a life of ease and comfort. Despite its hazards and complexities, he chose a political career because he wanted to work for the country. His political career was clean and honourable. No one ever said he was tainted with corruption during his tenure as Finance Minister. His conduct was nothing if not dignified. With his international fame and exposure, he was the kind of person whom this nation needed so much to nurture its international image -- an image that is continually under assault.

With the killing of such a person our society has plumbed a new depth of degeneration. How far down are we going to go after this? Will Mr. Kibria's death rouse our collective conscience to search for a sane and civilized way of existence? There are certain things that need to stay above politics. Mr. Kibria's killing has thrown a very fundamental moral challenge that our nation needs to confront. If our leaders and social thinkers do not unite to resist this sinister trend, our country will cease to be livable.

Ziaus Shams Chowdhury is a retired ambassador.