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Lesson 2 Affectionate, Lively and Always Smiling Sheikh Kamal

You have learnt about different aspects of Sheikh Kamal in Lesson 1. Here read a tribute to Sheikh Kamal by one of his university friends. Dr Fakral Alam, a Professor of English at the University of Dhaka, recalls his memories with Sheikh Kamal during his university days. When you have finished reading the text, answer the questions that follow.

When I first met Sheikh Kamal at the end of 1969, he was already known everywhere in the country as the eldest son of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the undisputed leader of Bengalis, the man we love to think of as Friend of Bengal. I, on the other hand, was the son of middle-class parents. And yet when I was introduced to him in front of the entry to Kala Bhaban or the Arts Building of the University of Dhaka by a mutual friend, he greeted me with the friendliest of smiles and a warm handshake. He made me feel instantly that I would be his friend!

He was hugely popular in his own right by then. I already knew a lot about him from my Dhanmondi friends. For example, I knew that he was quite good at basketball and cricket, actively interested in music, always lively and full of good spirits. These qualities never deserted him. He was also known to be a tireless organizer — in student politics, of course, but also in the sports and cultural arenas. Although we never met regularly after 1971, he continued to be warm and friendly whenever we met, inside or outside the university.

Even now I remember vividly a number of occasions when I met him up close. One day, for example, a mutual friend invited a few of us to go to a place 30 miles or so outside Dhaka for a day out. This was also the site of a charitable foundation, a fully-funded school, and a medical clinic for the people of the region. In addition, it had a pond and a playing field. On our way to the place and back, everywhere in it and all day long, Kamal was the life of our group.

I remember him singing spontaneously every now and then, joking and bursting into laughter often, playing cricket with us full-spiritedly, and showing keen interest in the activities of the foundation. I was reinforced in the belief I had at the end of our first meeting — he had the gift of friendship and I was one of his friends. And I could see by the end of the trip that he was good at everything — playing cricket, cracking jokes, music, making friends and having a good time!

Kamal, I found out in the next few years, made friends instinctively. But it was also clear he cultivated friends. And so whenever he met, he would seem to go out of his way to greet you before you could greet him. He had a trademark smile, warm and welcoming. Soon, I found out that whenever we were in groups, whether in the Arts building or outside, he would become the life of any group, the center of attention, inevitably and naturally. And yet, when he talked to you, he made you feel that you were important, and worth his company.

In late February 1969 Bangabandhu was released from jail and a month later Ayub Khan was replaced by Yahya Khan, another dictator, but one who was seemingly planning to lay the path down for democracy. This Khan pledged to hold genuine elections to the national as well as the provincial assemblies on the basis of universal suffrage; election fever gripped the country.

One day, Kamal invited me and a few of our friends to accompany him to Savar, where Bangabandhu was scheduled to speak in a couple of public meetings. We agreed readily. Once again, he regaled us on the way and back with his lively presence, chatting, joking and singing. We also had the opportunity to hear Bangabandhu speak on this occasion. With his golden voice, eloquence, gift for rhetoric and making complex things clear with vivid images and passionate arguments, Bangabandhu stirred us all. It was another day with Kamal that I would treasure.

One other day that I will treasure forever was sometime in 1970, when the Bengalees were gearing up for the National Assembly elections. Kamal had taken me and a few other friends to his Road no. 32 house for chatting, or what we in Bangla call adda, when Kamal suddenly had the idea of introducing us to his father. He was in another part of the house with other people, probably discussing election strategy, but he had time to greet us. I remember him waving affectionately, warmth for Kamal’s friends written all over his smiling face.

After the war of independence was over, I continued to meet Kamal in the university. But on his return from the army he became busier and busier in politics, while I took to studying seriously and frequenting the library of the University of Dhaka regularly all day long and into early evenings.

Nevertheless, even in brief exchanges Kamal, now the son of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, made me feel that I was close to him, for he would not only exchange pleasantries but would also ask about me caringly and in the friendliest of manner. Friendliness came naturally to Sheikh Kamal and more often than not, he would greet you with a smile before you could do so.

There are two other occasions when I met Sheikh Kamal at this time. In the first, I was among the group of students who had secured the top positions in their Honors class and met Professor Abdul Matin Choudhury, our Vice-Chancellor in his office. The meeting was organized at Kamal’s initiative.

The idea was that we would find the encounter inspirational and our Vice-Chancellor would get to meet a cross-section of the top performing students of a particular year to hear from them how the university could augment its academic facilities for future students.

The second occasion was in late July 1975 when I was leaving the Arts Building to go to TSC for lunch. As I was about to leave, I saw Kamal coming down from his car to attend classes. As always, he greeted me with his characteristic warm smile and wanted to know where I was heading to.

When he found out, he insisted that he dropped me off at TSC, since he still had some minutes before his class. That was typical of Kamal. He was the son of Bangabandhu, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, and he still had time to spare for a friend!

That was the last time I would see Kamal, for two weeks later he was murdered, along with Bangabandhu and so many other family members. Among the dead was Kamal’s wife Sultana, another batch mate, an outstanding athlete and a very attractive person in every way.

All of us were stunned by the events of August 15, 1975. The renegade murderous soldiers had left the nation drift for the immediate future and we had lost the father of our nation. Affectionate, lively and always smiling Kamal would no more greet us, batch mates and make us feel blessed in having him as a friend!

A . Find out the meaning of the following words used in the text above from a dictionary and make sentences with them.

Answer:

Find out the meaning of the following words used in the text above from a dictionary and make sentences with them.

Words	Meaning	Sentence
desert (v)	To abandon or leave someone or something behind.	The soldier did not desert his comrades during the battle.
tireless	Showing great effort or energy without getting tired.	The volunteer worked tireless hours to help the community.
typical	Characteristic of a particular person or thing.	It was a typical day at the office, with nothing unusual happening.
regale	To entertain or amuse someone with talk.	She regaled us with stories of her travels around the world.
pleasantries	Polite remarks used in social situations.	They exchanged pleasantries before starting the serious discussion.
augment	To increase or make something greater by adding to it.	The company plans to augment its staff with new hires.

B. Answer the following questions based on the text in Section A.

1. How many incidents of meeting Sheikh Kamal are mentioned in this text?
2. What was the experience of the writer when he met Sheikh Kamal for the first time?
3. How does the writer portray his day out with Sheikh Kamal?
4. Why was the Savar visit special to the author?
5. Why did Sheikh Kamal take the author to the Vice-Chancellor?

Answer:

How many incidents of meeting Sheikh Kamal are mentioned in this text?The text mentions several incidents of meeting Sheikh Kamal, specifically four significant occasions.
What was the experience of the writer when he met Sheikh Kamal for the first time?The writer felt warmly welcomed by Sheikh Kamal, who greeted him with a friendly smile and handshake, making him feel instantly like a friend.
How does the writer portray his day out with Sheikh Kamal?The writer portrays the day out with Sheikh Kamal as lively and enjoyable. Kamal was the life of the group, engaging in activities, singing, joking, and showing genuine interest in the charitable foundation they visited.
Why was the Savar visit special to the author?The Savar visit was special because it allowed the author to experience Kamal’s lively presence and enthusiasm, and it also provided the opportunity to hear Bangabandhu speak, which was a memorable and inspiring event.
What qualities of Sheikh Kamal do you identify from this lesson and the previous one and which ones impress you the most? Why do you like them?From the lessons, Sheikh Kamal is identified as affectionate, lively, friendly, and a natural leader. The qualities that impress the most include his warmth, his ability to make others feel valued, and his enthusiasm in social situations. These traits are admirable because they reflect his genuine care for others and his vibrant personality.

C. What qualities of Sheikh Kamal do you identify from this lesson and the previous one and which ones impress you the most? Why do you like them?

Answer:

Qualities Identified:

Affectionate: Sheikh Kamal is portrayed as warm and caring, always making others feel welcomed and valued.
Lively: He is described as energetic and enthusiastic, bringing vitality to social gatherings and activities.
Friendly: Kamal has a natural ability to make friends easily and maintain a positive, engaging demeanor.
Charismatic: His presence naturally draws attention and he has a knack for becoming the center of any group.
Organized: Kamal is noted for his involvement in student politics, sports, and cultural activities, indicating strong organizational skills.
Genuine Interest in Others: He shows a sincere interest in people’s activities and well-being, enhancing his relationships.

Qualities that Impress the Most:

The qualities that impress the most are his affectionate nature and his lively personality.

Reasons:

Affectionate: His ability to make others feel instantly welcomed and valued demonstrates deep empathy and kindness. This quality fosters strong, supportive relationships and makes interactions enjoyable and meaningful.
Lively: His energetic and enthusiastic approach to life makes him an engaging and inspiring individual. This quality not only uplifts those around him but also creates a positive and dynamic atmosphere.

These traits are particularly admired because they reflect a genuine care for others and an ability to positively influence social environments, making interactions with him memorable and enriching.

D. Underline the complex and compound sentences from the text. One is done for you.

Complex sentence
He made me feel instantly that I would be his friend!

Compound sentence
I, on the other hand, was the son of middle-class parents and not

Answer:

Complex Sentences:

He made me feel instantly that I would be his friend!
Although we never met regularly after 1971, he continued to be warm and friendly whenever we met, inside or outside the university.
One day, Kamal invited me and a few of our friends to accompany him to Savar, where Bangabandhu was scheduled to speak in a couple of public meetings.
After the war of independence was over, I continued to meet Kamal in the university, but on his return from the army he became busier and busier in politics, while I took to studying seriously and frequenting the library of the University of Dhaka regularly all day long and into early evenings.

Compound Sentences:

I, on the other hand, was the son of middle-class parents and not exceptional in any sense.
Kamal had taken me and a few other friends to his Road no. 32 house for chatting, or what we in Bangla call adda, when Kamal suddenly had the idea of introducing us to his father.
The meeting was organized at Kamal’s initiative, and the idea was that we would find the encounter inspirational and our Vice-Chancellor would get to meet a cross-section of the top performing students of a particular year to hear from them how the university could augment its academic facilities for future students.
As I was about to leave, I saw Kamal coming down from his car to attend classes, and as always, he greeted me with his characteristic warm smile and wanted to know where I was heading to.

E. Write the antonyms of the following words used in the text and make sentences with them.

Answer:

Write the antonyms of the following words used in the text and make sentences with them.

Words	Antonyms	Sentence
Undisputed	Disputed	The claims made by the scientist were disputed by his peers.
Disparity	Similarity	There is a significant similarity between their opinions.
Spontaneous	Deliberate	Her actions were very deliberate and planned.
Instinctively	Deliberately	He approached the problem deliberately, not instinctively.
Warmth	Coldness	The coldness of his reception made me uncomfortable.