Litmus paper we have lost

The London 2012 Summer Olympics had just concluded. On meeting me, a beaming JRC disclosed with some gratification that he had seen the fantastic opening ceremony. When I said, "We saw it too, Sir," he aced a return, "At the Olympic Stadium?!"

That sportiveness accompanied the man, who had been occupied with a variety of serious occupations over five decades.

Gifted with an enviable memory, supreme scholarly intelligence, sterling character and a great a sense of humour, the man from Sylhet (we almost forgot because of his luminous nationwide identity) has sat in the (caretaker) government (April–June 1996), served BRAC and the Asia-Pacific University as vice-chancellor, taught civil engineering at BUET for almost four decades, steered national committees on ICT, and delivered countless lectures on a wide range of topics.

A statistical buff from childhood, he enjoyed his time in Dhaka's traffic jam by juggling with vehicle number plates and had been befittingly the president of the Mathematical Olympiad Committee from 2003. The "Computer Center" at BUET is also his brainchild, steering it for 10 years for national service.

For his scientific prudence, he was involved in several state-sponsored mega projects. The professor of civil engineering was Technical Adviser of Bangabandhu Bridge and the ongoing Padma Bridge.

In view of his contribution to infrastructure development, leadership, research and education, the government bestowed on him the Ekushey Padak 2017 for science and technology. Since 2018, he has been honoured as National Professor. The same year, Japan decorated him with the prestigious Order of the Rising Sun: Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon.

Prof Choudhury was an exceptional organiser. Under his stewardship, the BUET Alumni Association has been thriving since 2008. As a founder Trustee, I have seen closely his hard and soft approach, but never a harsh word, to unite several pocket associations of graduates.

One year after the FR Tower fire, BUET Alumni Association organised a National Seminar called "Fire Hazard in Buildings: Recent Crisis" on April 27, 2019. The president called me to deliver a keynote paper, which could have been handled by any EC member. But this was JRC; he knew how to honour a person for he was an honourable man.

The last time I saw Sir was on October 9 at the protest gathering of alumni at BUET, two days after the brutal killing of the university's student Abrar Fahad. Sir did not look well to me that morning. I am told that he was facing some issues with his health.

Sir was very loyal to BUET and especially the civil engineering department. During a students' protest some two decades ago, Sir told off a high-up, "We were running [BUET] well, before you got involved."

Once he also lightly reprimanded me (from architecture) for not calling to a seminar the expertise of a civil engineering teacher. Despite his towering personality, he was frank in his outlook. He shared with me the driving rain problem at his apartment and the sunlight problem at his university.

Sir was very keen about sports as a follower and player. He was vice-president of the Bangladesh Table Tennis Federation in the 1970s. He was very excited about Snooker when introduced at the BUET Teachers Club. Cricket was his way of life, a gentleman that is why.

His approach to life was always calculated, hardly ever a rash decision. An avid reader of my column, he joined my anchored show "Chintito" on ATN Bangla, but after deliberating for over a month. After the programme, I dropped him at his house where he passed away yesterday peacefully from a heart attack.

His last SMS to me on April 21 was, "I remember watching one of your videos in which you expressed very strongly your resentment against educated Bangladeshi origin people living abroad, who are in the habit of criticising Bangladesh at every opportunity. Would appreciate it very much if you kindly send me the link." He was interested in anything Bangladesh, a profound patriot.