Death of a maverick journalist: Enayetullah Khan

(NEW AGE, Nov. 19, 2005)


Death of a maverick journalist


It was heart wrenching news that crept into my mind - the maverick
journalist; editor of New Age and Holliday had left us for eternity at
a time when a personality like him was much needed in this sad country.

My mind has been in such a barren state since then, sort of
emptiness, unrest in the very deep layer of my consciousness that I
still cannot come to terms with the harsh reality that he is no more
with us. I came to know this personality through his enigmatic
editorial writings in Holliday. It was enigmatic for many of us who are
not as farsighted as he was, imbued as he was with enormous imaginative
faculty in the form of words. His views, ideas, and analyses of facts
around the social fabric of politics at times proved to be prophetic.
Khan started his journey in the field of journalism at the age of 22
with his first love, the weekly Holliday. A rebel in spirit, innovative
in thoughts and acts and, more importantly, unequivocal in his
conviction, he was a towering personality in the filed of English
language journalism in Bangladesh. He is one of the few to bring
freshness, vivacity and an undaunted voice in English medium
journalism, so powerful and pioneering that most of the eminent
personalities in society today are demonstrating a genuine sense of
respect for the man. Thus Khan remains very dearly in everybody's
minds, irrespective of professions, as their very dear Mintu Bhai.

Khan was widely popular among friends in foreign countries as he was
here for his amiable, outspokenness and broadmindedness. He was a
towering speaker and everyone loved to listen to his charismatic
articulation in meetings, friendly or official. It was his love for the
country that prompted him to stick to the profession with rock solid
conviction. He never ceased to speak the truth even at the cost of the
loss of favour of those he liked. He never cared for shallow popularity
in any sphere of his life.

Now that he is no more with us, this emptiness poses a challenge for
people who are prone to think positively about the country, for they
have lost their guardian who they could turn to at times of crisis.

The worthy people out there at Holiday and New Age have to remain
more committed, vigilant, agile in spirit and action so as to pay due
respect to the late Enayetullah Khan.
Rafiqul Islam Rime
Agrabad, Chittagong


* * *

The last piece of writing from Enayetullah Khan when he was at the
end of his life speaks of one thing: he was blessed with the zest to
add life to his years. He knew soon he would cease to talk; he would be
deprived soon by the divine law of the creator of airing his concern
for his beloved motherland, which is in the nefarious clutches of
obscurantists. He was undergoing a pang of tragedy when he was confined
to bed in Toronto, seeing the light of life running out of gleam. But
nothing could stop this hardcore ambassador of the country from picking
up the pen when it mattered most.

Let's not talk about neutrality, which is a sacred cow in the
stratum of the journalists. This is a vague word to me, which is not in
the lexicon of a loving soul. There is no getting away from the fact
that this legendary journalist had not been economical with the truth
when it came to exhuming the real picture of the country. He did not
talk in a roundabout way while criticising the present ruling party of
which he himself was a part once. The blood was constantly oozing from
the heart of this valiant freedom fighter to see successive governments
keeping their noses in the air when the surging cloud of religious
extremism was coagulating in the political welkin of the country.

This titan of journalism was at the vanguard of the Buddhijibi
Nidhan Tathyanusandhan Committee that came into being on December 18,
1971 to investigate the brutal murders of intellectuals in the terminal
days of the War of Independence in 1971 by the Al-Badr and Al-Shams -
the killing cohorts of the Jamaat-e-Islami. While recuperating from
deadly cancer he was continuously mulling over the hydra-headed
fundamentalists who had been putting the clock back over the years to
turn the country into a theocratic state. He did not mince his words in
his writing when he saw the fanatics were hitting at the very
foundations of the country. There was no lucidity in his language when
he came down hard on the duplicitous erudition and smug complacency of
our megalomaniacal politicians.

'Last words are for those who have not said much,' said Karl
Marx in adieu when he was asked to deliver his last didactic statement
by his housekeeper. I do not know if Enayetullah Khan had the same
complacency while taking leave of this mundane world, but one thing is
for sure: death could not enfeeble the spirit of this maverick.
Imran Ahmed
On e-mail
(NEW AGE, Nov. 19, 2005)

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