There are some stars in the world of education who do not stop at imparting knowledge in the form of text books; rather, they become visionaries of the future. There are several great teachers in my life too, whose prayers and inspiration are the eternal path of my journey. With deep respect to all of them, I say that among those enlightened teachers, Professor K. M. Golam Mohiuddin holds a unique and special place in my heart.
At Chittagong University, he not only taught us the complex theories of finance; rather, when computer technology started its journey in this country in the nineties, he taught us computers with utmost compassion. He always enriched himself with modern knowledge. He was quite popular among teachers and students, which was reflected in his election as the Dean of the Faculty of Commerce at Chittagong University. His academic and administrative foresight also gave him the opportunity to serve as the Vice Chancellor of the International Islamic University Chittagong (IIUC).
The year 1998 was a turning point in my life. It was this great man who brought me into the sacred and noble profession of teaching. In his professional life, he was an honored fellow member of ICMAB. Therefore, it was his sincere desire that I complete my CMA and consolidate myself in my professional life. But fate and a PhD scholarship took me abroad and the CMA course was not completed. Like a true guru, he was happy with my success in completing my doctorate degree, but the gentle regret he had in his heart for the unfulfilled dreams of his beloved student was an expression of his genuine affection for me.
The way he extended his helping hand during those difficult and uncertain days of my second Masters in Belgium in 2001 before earning my PhD cannot be measured by any earthly standard. Even if the financial debt is repaid, the selfless and humane shelter of a teacher in difficult times can never be repaid. His generosity still reminds me that a teacher is not limited to the four walls of the classroom; he is a cool shadow like a banyan tree in the midst of life’s ups and downs.
Sir loved me so much that he would sit next to me at his house with utmost compassion and would also inquire about other students through me. In any danger or dilemma, I would run to him like a small child. I don’t know where an American print computer book that I took from him in 2007 has disappeared. But even after 19 long years, remembering that book and asking for it back proves how caring and disciplined a person he is.
He may have forgiven his beloved student for the unintentional crime of losing the book, but that responsibility will always haunt me in the corner of my mind. In the long journey of life, the prayers of some people guide us, who show us the path of light without any return. Timeless educators like Professor KM Golam Mohiuddin are actually the unsung craftsmen of building a developed society and nation. I humbly apologize to my dear sir for not being able to regularly check in on him in this mechanical life of busy work. I pray that the Almighty God grants my most respected Mohiuddin Sir good health and long life. May ideal teachers like him bring the lost youth of today’s society to the path of light. Amen.
The Writer is Vice-Chancellor, Eastern University, Dhaka
