Staff Correspondent
Speakers at a memorial meeting and discussion session on Sunday observed that late ABM Musa was a fearless journalist who throughout his long professional life never compromised with truth, justice and fair play.
ABM Musa, better known in the journalists' community as "Musa Bhai" was a vanguard of the ideals and the spirits of the War of Liberation and never deviated from the ethics and norms of the sacred profession of journalism.
Held at the VIP lounge of the National Press Club (NPC), the function was organized by ABM Musa-Setara Musa Foundation in celebration of the 85th birth anniversary of ABM Musa who is largely regarded as the doyen of journalism.
Presided over by noted Professor Shakhwat Ali Khan and a popular teacher of the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism of Dhaka University, the function was addressed by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser and Editor of the daily Observer, Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, senior journalists and noted trade unionist Kamal Lohani, NPC General Secretary Quamrul Islam Chowdhury, DU Professor Dr Abdul Salam, senior journalists Abdur Rahim, Mahfuzullah, Shamsuddin Ahmed, Ershad Majumder, Purveen Sultana Musa. Setara Musa and other family members of ABM Musa were present, among others, on the occasion. The speakers in an unequivocal term observed that ABM Musa was a visionary journalist and a versatile genius. During his long carrier, he used his prolific pen against all kinds of injustice, oppression and repression.
They said that ABM Musa was considered the voice of rebellion in the media world and never hesitated to call black a black and white a white. They recalled that during many crucial junctures of the national life, even before the birth of Bangladesh, ABM Musa was a forerunner of the movement launched by the Bengalis for self autonomy against the heinous military regimes of Pakistan. He was the torch bearer of the progressive thinkers of the nation.
Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury sought unity of the journalists' community for not only the welfare of the media people but also for consolidating democracy in the country. Recalling the period when ABM Musa and others were active in journalists' movements and struggle, he said, "We attained successes in various fights against the autocratic rules as we remained rock solid. But today as we are divided, we have lost that past glory and heritage." Kamal Lohani and Iqbal Sobhan both called upon journalists to sink all their narrow differences and rally round under the same umbrella for the sake of the welfare of the community and safeguarding the democracy loving nation.