Alim Chowdhary, a visionary, was killed by the Pakistani army during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. His daughter Dr. Nuzhat talks about her father’s unwavering dedication for the betterment and freedom of the country.
Dr. Nuzhat Chowdhary, an Ophthalmologist and daughter of Dr. Aleem Chowdhary
by Sahidul Hasan Khokon: As the long-cherished Independence Day dawned on Bangladeshi soil on December 16, 1971, and people, mostly youth, came out on the streets shouting joyous slogans, Shyamoli Nasreen Chowdhary scrutinized every face, hoping That her husband has also attended the rally.
Her husband, Dr. Aleem Chowdhary, a visionary and an ophthalmologist who had long been targeted for being vocal against the genocide sponsored by the Pakistan Army, was elected in the twilight hours of the armed struggle for independence.
His family had yet to come to terms with the possibility that he could have been assassinated by the Pakistani military, like many other visionaries who shaped the country’s intellectual foundations.
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As time wore on and Dr. Aleem’s return seemed bleak, Shyamoli contacted the wife of Dr. Fazle Rabbi, another renowned doctor who had also been selected by the Pakistani Army. Dr. Fazle Rabbi’s wife could not hide her feelings and expressed doubt on the return of him alive by the Pakistan Army.
Dr. Nuzhat Chowdhary, daughter of Dr. Aleem Chowdhary and ophthalmologist, revealed that her missing father was searched for several days.
The mutilated, mutilated and mutilated bodies of those killed by the Pakistani army and their local collaborators were dumped in the most inhuman manner in different parts of the capital. Each body was carefully examined to ascertain whether it was that of Dr. Aleem or not. Finally, his brother identified Dr. Aleem’s body on December 18, 1971, at Raiar Bazar Mass Cemetery.
In a conversation with this scribe, Dr. Nuzhat talks about his father’s unwavering dedication to the nation’s well-being and freedom, both as a professional and a visionary. “He was not only the best in the profession but also a man ahead of his time.”
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Her voice trembling with emotion, Dr. Nuzhat said that her father was at the forefront of the struggles that began with the 1952-language movement, which inspired the world to observe February 21 as International Mother Language Day.
He said that one of the country’s visionaries and ophthalmologists, Dr. Aleem linked his political involvement with a vision of equal opportunity for all, regardless of their class or creed.
“He firmly believed that the treatment offered by a physician should be based on the disease, not who the patient was. This meant that he envisioned a healthcare system where farmers and daily wage laborers had access to ministers and traders,” said Dr Nuzhat.
He regretted the void created by the planned butchery and massacre of intellectuals at the hands of the Pakistan Army and their collaborators. Sensing its defeat, the Pakistani government made a list of the best sons of this land who were capable of taking the country forward culturally and intellectually.
“Imagine where our film industry would have been if Zaheer Rehan had been alive. Just imagine the progress we could have made if there were masters like Munir Choudhary and Shahidullah Kaiser.
Dr. Nuzhat also strongly criticized the misinformation being spread by a vested section about ‘Bangabandhu’ and the distorted false news about the number of martyrs in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.
“There is a misconception that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman ‘Bangabandhu’ – the Father of the Nation – pardoned all criminals who committed crimes against humanity during the Liberation War of Bangladesh, which is a blatant lie. He committed crimes against humanity such as arson and murder. Never forgave those who did.
Reflecting on the dark chapters after the assassination of ‘Bangabandhu’ in 1975, she said the political patronage by military dictators to my father’s killer, even giving charge of a ministry, was a painful experience.
Dr. Nuzhat also lamented the lack of attention to the contribution of women like her mother Shyamoli Nasreen and Jahanara Imam in furthering the spirit of the liberation struggle.
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Shyamoli Nasreen testified in 2013 before the International Criminal Tribunal against Motiur Rahman Nizami for wartime crimes against humanity. He revealed that Al-Badr member Maulana Abdul Mannan, who hid his pro-Pakistan agenda and sought shelter from Dr. Aleem, changed his complexion overnight and conspired to kill him.
Dr Nuzhat said it was shocking that Abdul Mannan, the killer of my father, later became a parliamentarian during Zia ur Rehman’s regime and a minister during (Lt Gen) Ershad’s tenure.
Later, the war criminals were given charge of ministries during the BNP-Jamaat regime that began in 2001. Finally, hope appeared on the horizon when the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government began war crimes trials, where my mother, among others, testified. War criminals, he said.