He was an outstanding scholar, an astounding teacher, a tireless social activist and above all, an exemplary human being. This sums up the life and mission of professor Abu Taiab Mohammed Anisuzzaman, fondly remembered as the inimitable “Anis Bhai” and “Anis Sir” by thousands of his admirers in Bangladesh and Bengal.
He was always willing to help with golden suggestions and advice. When I was researching on Akhtaruzzaman Elias, the incomparable Bengali novelist who was his student, he reminded me of the tradition of elegy that prevailed in Bengali creativity and pointed out how Elias was an integral part of this tradition albeit retaining his distinctiveness.
When he heard that I was going to deliver a lecture on European literature at Brac University in Dhaka, Anisuzzaman’s advice was remarkable.
He said: “Subho, don’t waste much time on criticism written by others. Choose four memorable creative texts and deconstruct them thoroughly.”
He is no more, but his writings will continue to inspire us. He seminal texts Muslim Manas o Bangla Sahitya, Swaruper Sandhane, Bangla-Farsi Shabdokosh and many others attest to his breathtaking scholarship and enlightened worldview.
A recipient of all major literary awards in Bangladesh, who was also honoured with the prestigious Ananda Puraskar twice and the Padma Bhushan, Anis Bhai remained humble, modest and self-effacing till the very last.
One of his indelible creations was the audio narrative of Bengali literary history from the Charjapada to the modern times. For this he was honoured with the Ananda Puraskar. His last encyclopaedic autobiography that ran into three parts fetched him the second Ananda Puraskar in 2017.
Could he have written more than what he wrote? He asked this question himself and said that a sustained social activism perhaps lessened his time.
Yes, like our Sankha Ghosh, he was at the forefront of protests and agitations from the days of the language movement in 1952 till the present day.
He fought for unflinching secularism, Bengali nationalism and an exploitation-free society with ardour and dedication. Moreover, like Sankha Ghosh, whom he regarded as his elder brother, his house was open to one and all from the young exuberant rebel to the aged and wise academic.
All his admirers — there are so many — loved his self-effacing humility which was perhaps one of his most striking attributes. The last words of his autobiography Bipula Prithibi are: “Our traversing the paths end at a point of time. But time goes on.”
He could not have been more correct. His peregrinations have ended, but we shall remember him as someone who crossed the boundary of time.
Subhoranjan Dasgupta is a professor of human science.