The death of a man of values

THE death of Justice Mohammad Habibur Rahman leaves a void in national life. And we mean it not as a cliché but as a statement which comes straight from the heart. And we do so because Rahman was, in these perilous times the nation happens to be passing through, a powerful voice of conscience for all of us.
In his long legal career, capped by his taking charge as chief justice of Bangladesh, Habibur Rahman did what men and women of his profession are expected to do, which is to uphold the law and the idea of justice as a surefire way of ensuring the dignity of all citizens. As chief advisor of the caretaker government in 1996, he convinced people across the spectrum that not only were fair, decent elections possible but also that the march of democracy in Bangladesh could not be stopped through unconstitutional means any more.
In a larger sense, though, Justice Habibur Rahman was an embodiment of all the good that could come of being an individual with a sense of purpose. Life, he made it a point to remind himself and others around him, had to have an objective that would redound to the good of society. And implicit in his belief was his faith in the ability of religion to direct individuals to goals far above the mundane realities of life.
It is such a larger than life man who now passes into memory. We pray for the salvation of his soul.