Remembering Sir Fazle Hasan Abed KCMG

People from all over the world have shared their memories and feelings about Sir Fazle. You can view some of the messages below.

শোকবার্তা

অাবেদ ভাই কোন ব্যক্তি নয় উনি ছিলেন বিরাট একটা প্রতিষ্টান যে প্রতিষ্টানের কোন দেশ সীমানা ছিল না।উনি সারা বিশ্বের সুবিধা বঞ্চিত অবহেলিত মানুষের এক অালোক বতির্কার নাম।উনার মৃত্যুতে সারা বিশ্বের লক্ষ কোটি সুবিধা বঞ্চিত মানুষ অাজ অসহায় হয়ে গেল।এই শুন্যতা পুরন হওয়ার নয়।অসম্ভব কে সম্ভব করে অসহায় দরিদ্র মানুষগুলোর মুখে হাসি ফোটানোর অদম্য ইচ্ছা নিশ্চয় উপারে মহান রব্বুল আলামীন অাপনাকে ভাল রাখবেন।Abed bhai, We will miss you deeply

মিজানুল ইসলাম

উজ্জ্বল নক্ষত্র

প্রিয় আবেদ ভাই আপনি আমাদের সবার সাথে আছেন।বিশ্বাস করি আপনি সর্বত্র বিরাজমান।শুধু ব্র্যাক পরিবার নয়,পুরো বিশ্বে সবার হৃদয় আপনার অবস্থান।আপনি আকাশের তারার মতই উজ্জ্বল।কতজনের কর্মসংস্থানের সুযোগ ,নিজস্ব চিন্তাচেতনা,পরিকল্পনার বহিঃপ্রকাশ আপনার হাতে বলে গর্ব হয়।এখানে যেমন অনেক পুরস্কার ও সম্মান পেয়েছেন দোয়া করি পরপারেও পান

আফরোজা রোমান মনি

Remembering our Bhai

You have left a legacy and footprint in many places and Africa in particular indeed we are because you were. You live on Abed Bhai beyond the Grave and your light still shinning all the way in Africa.

Lilian Mori

Thank You Sir Fazle Hasan Abed for your Service to Bangladesh and World

To: Sir Fazle Hasan Abed. Sir, We are so proud of you. We are so grateful to you. Sir, You have taught us how to work with poor and marginalized people with compassion and passion. Sir, You believed in people’s power and taught us how to utilize their skills and potentials for fighting against poverty and bringing social change. Sir, You are the greatest social entrepreneur of all times. As a Social Work educator in Canada, I proudly share the stories of BRAC and Aarong and how you engaged women and marginalized people of Bangladesh in social business and transformed their lives. Sir, You have left so much legacies for us, Now it is time for you to Rest In Peace. Sir, Thank you! Thank you for your service and leadership. We are grateful to you. Sincerely, Dr. Hasan Mahbub, Professor, Centennial College

Dr. Hasan Mahbub

Abed bhai

My deepest heartfelt condolences to Abed bhai’s immediate family and friends. And to the larger BRAC family. What a loss. And what a life to celebrate. Thank you Abed bhai, for supporting millions of women, their families and their communities in finding their route out of poverty and injustice. Thank you for the values you lived, which inspired so many. Thank you for your dedication to rigorous testing of pilot work and then scaling up so ambitiously. Thank you for taking the experience from BRAC Bangladesh into BRAC International countries in Africa and Asia. Thank you for the privilege of having been able to work with you, and learn from you, for twenty-five years in different roles. As you wrote not long ago: “friends for life”. No, we will not rest. We will continue your mission and your work. Sylvia Borren, Vice chair of BRAC International

sylvia borren

Remembering A Giant

When I met Sir Fazle Abed more than a decade ago, I sensed I was in the presence of a giant. He is the founder of BRAC, one of the world`s largest non-governmental organizations, which has touched the lives of 125 million people. Abed Bhai, as I addressed him, presented that unique and rare combination of qualities possessed by great leaders. Vision. Wisdom. Boldness. Grit. Empathy. Humility. He has been a lion of courage throughout his life -- from the time he returned to Bangladesh in 1971 to rebuild the country after independence until the moment he faced a terminal illness. In 2008, he invited me to visit BRAC. My trip to Bangladesh was more than a first-hand education about how an organization changes the lives of millions of people and contributes to the economy of a country. It was also a journey to reconnect with my heritage. Abed Bhai had arranged for me to visit Lahunda, the village of my paternal great grandparents and grandparents where BRAC had a microfinance program. Listening to the village women speak with such dignity about their lives left a deep impression on me. Learning from BRAC and from rural communities in Uganda over the years influenced my views about how the Mastercard Foundation could create positive change in people`s lives. Working with Abed Bhai was akin to taking a master class on how to scale efforts to serve millions of people, yet keep in mind the dignity of each human being. One of his lessons was about imagining possibilities. For example, where some people may look past an empty field lying fallow by the road, he would see fertile land producing multiple harvests to feed hundreds of thousands of people. Abed Bhai never encountered a challenge he didn`t like. He would observe, listen and size a situation, and envision how it could be improved. Then, he would get to work. Abed and BRAC were resolute about achieving and quantifying results. They are deeply disciplined when it comes to setting targets and tracking progress. His enormous drive and determination to improve the human condition were also matched by his kindness, wit and humor. He loved to tell stories and to listen to people`s stories. These personal traits endeared him to many. Not surprisingly, Abed Bhai faced his illness with his characteristic wisdom, pragmatism, and courage. Once again, he took charge about how he intended to live his life with the time he had. The lessons that he imparted will continue on in BRAC and other leaders he influenced. As I reflect on his life and influence on mine, I am grateful to have been in the presence of a giant.

Reeta Roy

স্যার আবেদের স্মরণে

স্যার আবেদ ভাই এখন আর নাই শুধুই স্মৃতির পাতায়। তুমি ছিলে অনন্ত- প্রেরণার উৎস, তুমি ছিলে ভবিষ্যৎ কারিগর, তেমার গৃহীত পদক্ষেপ সফল বাস্তবায়নের ভার পড়েছে আমাদের সবার উপর। তার শিক্ষার যাদুকরি ছোঁয়ায় উন্নয়নের জোয়ার ছুঁয়েছে গ্রামে গ্রামে, জেলায় জেলায়। তার চাহুনি দেখতে, পাবো না আর- তা কি ভাবা যায় ! সাদা সাদা ফুলে ভরা গাড়িটা করে তাকে নিয়ে চলে গেল, কোথায় কোন অজানায়। আর্মি স্টেডিয়াম ভরা তার ভক্তরা কেঁদে কেঁদে বুক ভাসায় আত্মার মাগফেরাত কামনায়। দিলরুবা বেগম ব্র্যাক ন্যায়পাল কার্যালয়

দিলরুবা বেগম

The world will never forget

I have heard and seen many enlightening stories in my short life, who have fought to improve their own destiny. But you (Sir Fazle Hassan Abed) is the one who have worked to improve the destiny of the poorest people in the world by sacrificing his happiness, luxury life also confirmed the destiny of these poor people by your far-reaching enterprise model. You are great, the world will never forget you.

Mohammad Khabir Uddin Tagore

The people of Bangladesh can show who they are, through him and his legacy

The University notes with sadness the death of Sir Fazle in Dhaka, Bangladesh on 20th December 2019 aged 83, after a short illness. He was the founder of the Bangladeshi NGO, BRAC soon after the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971, returning to the country from a secure financial career in London, using his own savings to start a relief organisation in the context of the humanitarian crisis and devastation of the country. His commitment to the poor in Bangladesh, especially vulnerable women and children never wavered. Over time, his vision created a mega organisation with over 200k employees, which not only served the poor in Bangladesh but in a further 11 poor countries in Asia and Africa. His organisation attracted worldwide funding, including from UK-DFID. The early focus was on food distribution, but he quickly expanded into oral rehydration to combat cholera and diarrhoea. He saw the reduction of maternal mortality and improvement in new-born child health as among his strongest achievements, but he also initiated a large primary education programme with thousands of schools, a microcredit programme covering the whole country which became a poor people’s bank (including electronic transfers), a University including the BRAC Institute of Governance and Development Studies with which several colleagues at Bath were closely associated. He mixed leadership with modesty, a rare quality. His contribution to development is global, while never losing sight of individual suffering and practical remedies. And he was never afraid of being ambitious for BRAC, seeing scale as a virtue. An inquisitive and generous listener, before steering-gently, but firmly. The people of Bangladesh can show who they are through him and his legacy.

Geof Wood

To my dear Abed bhai

Sir Fazle Haaan Abed –you are a great leader with an exceptional personality. You are the founder of BRAC which is now the biggest Organization in the world. You can inspire others and you are a man of proper decision-making capabilities, accountability, delegation and empowerment. You are a dynamic and extraordinary leader and you proved it by stepping down from his position as ‘Chair’ of BRAC which is now very uncommon and extraordinary judgment. Hundred thousand people work in BRAC around the world and we all pray for you; where you are. You will remain ever shining in our hearts with lots of love and affection and we will keep moving forward with enthusiastic manner. The Nation and world will learn from your work and model to face the challenges to go beyond. Yes, we will not say RIP rather we are ready to serve where it is necessary against all the challenges keeping you and your motto in mind. You are one only dear Sir Abed ! Love you Abed Bhai!! Anwar SAPLING-South Asian Policy Leadership for Improved Nutrition and Growth, HNPP, BRAC.

ANWARUL ALAM

Condolences to the BRAC family

We heard the news of Abed Bhai`s passing away with great sadness. For many many years, Abed Bhai and BRAC have inspired us in our growth and we have admired and followed all that he did with all of you. Our thoughts and prayers are with you in your difficult time. We know that his legacy is in safe hands with all of you and that his life`s work will only continue to grow and thrive as he would have wished. With best wishes Rukmini and the entire Pratham team from India.

Rukmini Banerji

He will be remembered as a dear partner to the Global Fund

Dear BRAC Family, It is with great sadness that we learned about the passing of Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, Founder of BRAC. Sir Abed’s humanity and dedication to the socio-economic development of Bangladesh and the world are unparalleled. His strategic vision and tireless investment enabled BRAC to grow from a temporary relief organization to one of the largest non-governmental organisations in the world, with which the Global Fund has been proud to partner in the implementation of TB and malaria programmes in Bangladesh. Sir Abed’s dedication to helping others and making the world a better place for the less fortunate has been an inspiration to us all. He will be remembered as one of the great hearts and minds of our times and a dear partner to the Global Fund. Our thoughts are with Sir Abed’s family, colleagues and friends at this difficult time. May he rest in peace.

Peter Sands

The United Nations family in Bangladesh is deeply saddened

The United Nations family in Bangladesh is deeply saddened to learn about the sad demise of Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, KCMG on 20 December 2019 in Bangladesh. Please accept our deepest sympathies for the great loss. In Bangladesh and around the world, Sir Abed will be remembered as an icon and leader for innovation and dedication towards fighting extreme poverty, empowering rural women, ensuring better health and quality education. The United Nations in Bangladesh and around the world appreciates the rich collaboration we have with BRAC as an institution and the extended circles of learning and inspiration Sir Abed generously shared with everyone around him. His legacy rests with having built one of the largest non-governmental organizations in the world, BRAC, and in his own deep, selfless commitment and dedication of his life to those in need. Not even the expression of a life well lived fully captures the contribution of Sir Abed. He will remain a true inspiration for Bangladesh and the world. In this hour of grief, on behalf of the United Nations family in Bangladesh, this is to express our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and the BRAC world. May his soul rest in perfect peace.

Mia Seppo

শ্রদ্ধা ও ভালোবাসায় বিদায় হে প্রিয় আবেদ ভাই

শ্রদ্ধা ও ভালোবাসায় বিদায় আপনি আছেন আপনি থাকবেন যতদিন বাংলাদেশ ও ব্র্যাক থাকবে। আপনার তুলনা আপনি । কোন সেক্টর এর কথা বলবো যেখানে আপনার অবদান নাই। মানুষ যে লোভ লালসার উর্ধ্বে থাকতে পারে তা আপনি দেখিয়ে দিয়েছেন। ভালো থাকবেন উপারে।

Mohsin Chowdhury

His death is a great loss for humanity

Abed bhai was a great visionary and a great humanitarian. We should be humbled at his remarkable achievements to lift the poor out of poverty. The only words that we can use to characterize him and his achievements are in the superlatives. His death is a great loss not only to the people of Bangladesh but to the whole of humanity.

Yusuf Kassam

Working with Abed sahib was the ultimate professional privilege and personal honor

Working with Abed sahib was the ultimate professional privilege and personal honor. I joined the fisheries team when it was relatively new, and even then Abed bhai’s vision led him to invest in not only his programs, but his staff. I will always be grateful that he sent me to study University of Stirling in 1987 to enhance my expertise in fisheries. Yet beyond professional development, Abed bhai treated his staff like family. He would often visit my wife and my young kids when we were at the CDM in Rajendrapur, which my wife and I fondly remember. I last visited Bangladesh in 2011 with my son after he finished his undergraduate education at Vanderbilt University. We dropped in at the BRAC office, and was amazed that we were not only meeting with some of my former fisheries colleagues, but also with senior BRAC leadership including the late Dr. Mahabub Hossain and even Abed sahib himself. They generously gave us their time and treated us like family, but they also gave us a signed copy of Ian Smile`s "Freedom from Want" (which we cherish to this day, and which my son has recommended to so many of his colleagues and friends) and even arranged a tour of BRAC University`s Dhaka and Savar campuses. My son still fondly remembers how much he learned about BRAC`s operations and culture, and he particularly appreciated the fact that students at the Savar campus adopt the role of BRAC staff for a day in order to gain empathy and respect for all professions and the human beings who perform them. My son`s biggest regret was that he was not able to finish and publish the HuffPost article due to family commitments, but we both remember BRAC`s act of kindness and visionary magnanimity to this day. The news struck us suddenly, and our entire family mourns the passing of a giant. Even when I first started at BRAC in 1983, everyone who worked with Abed bhai knew he was special. Yet it still amazes me to think how he and the visionaries who led BRAC would soon turn a tiny Bangladeshi NGO into the world. We could not have imagined that in the process, Abed bhai and his team would turn a tiny, impoverished, staggeringly overpopulated, and shattered post-conflict nation into the world`s laboratory for NGO-driven innovation-pioneering solutions to every issue imaginable both in Bangladesh and around the world. Even after we immigrated to the U.S, Abed bhai made us so proud to be Bangladeshi. We will never forget his unyielding commitment to bettering humanity.

Jamil Ahmed Choudhury

Tribute

We have lost true legend (beloved and respectable Abed bhai) but you are alive on every day within our society`s dream and hope as well as you were ago.

Farida Yasmin

আবেদ ভাই

আমাদের প্রিয় আবেদ ভাই, যিনি পৃথিবীর অসহায় পিছিয়ে পড়া মানুষদের ভালোবেসেছিলেন, তাদের কথা ভেবেছিলেন এবং সফলতার সাথে তাদের জীবনকে meaningful করে তুলেছিলেন। তিনি ছিলেন বহু মানুষের জীবনের কারিগর, তবুও ভীষণ বিনয়ী ৷ অসংখ্য মানুষের জীবনে তার বিশাল প্রভাব আমাদের ভীষণভাবে অনুপ্রাণিত করে ৷ আবেদ ভাই চিরঞ্জিবী হয়ে রবেন পৃথিবীর বুকে, মানুষের ভালোবাসায় ৷ আবেদ ভাইয়ের মায়াময় হাসিমাখা মুখটা ভীষনভাবে মিস করব ৷ পরপারেও ভালো থাকুন আবেদ ভাই ৷

Moonia Farlina Islam

শোক বার্তা

ব্র্যাকের প্রতিষ্ঠাতা স্যার ফজলে হাসান আবেদ কেসিএমজি এর মৃত্যুতে ব্র্যাক খানসামা, দিনাজপুর পরিবারের পক্ষ থেকে গভীর শোক প্রকাশ করছি। মহান আল্লাহ্‌ তাকে বেহেস্ত দান করুন। আমিন।

মোঃ আব্দুর রাজ্জাক

১৭ কোটি মানুষের ঘরে ঘরে আবেদ ভাইয়ের অবদান।

"আবেদ ভাই" একটি নাম,একটি ভালোবাসা,একটি অনুপ্রেরনা,সমাজে পিছিয়ে পডে থাকা কোটি কোটি মানুষকে সামনের দিকে এগিয়ে নিয়ে যাওয়া একটা অক্টোপাস,অক্টোপাসের যেমন অসংখ্য পা রয়েছে তেমনি আবেদ ভাইয়ের ও ছিল হাজারো চিন্তা ধারা। আবেদ ভাইয়ের অবদান এর কথা অস্বীকার করবে এমন লোক খূজে পাওয়া কঠিন হবে তার কারন বিকাশ/মোবাইল ব্যংকিং আজ দেশের প্রতিটি মানুষের ঘরে ঘরে। মন্ত্রী থেকে শুরু করে রাস্তার ভিক্ষুক প্রর্যন্ত সবাই আজ এর সুবিধা ভোগ করছে।। নোবেল বিজয়ী কেন আপনাকে বিশ্ব বিজয়ী ঘোষনা শুনার জন্য আমরা অপেক্ষায় ছিলাম। ওপারে ভাল থাকবেন ভাই।

Tariful Islam

শোকের অনুভূতি প্রকাশ।

এক জীবনে মানূষ গুলোকাজ করতে পারে তা আপনি করে দেখিয়ে দিয়েছেন। মানব জীবন কি করে অর্থবহ করতে হয় তাও দেখিয়ে দিয়েছেন। আপনি ব্র্যাকের বাইরেও সাধারন মানূষের মধ্যে কতটা প্রভাব ফেলতে পেরেছেন সেটা টের পেলাম আপনি চলে যাবার পর। আপনার সাথে বা এন জি ও কর্মকান্ডের সাথে সংশ্রব নেই তারা কেন আসবে আপনাকে শেষ শ্রদ্ধা জানাতে? আবেদ ভাই আপনি বেঁচে থাকবেন যুগ যুগ আমাদের মাঝে আমাদের পরবর্তী প্রজন্মের মাঝে।

মোঃ মেজবাহুন্নবী

কল্যাণ কামনা

ভাই আপনি সমাজ, দেশ ও সারা বিশ্বের মানুষের জন্য যা করে গেছেন পৃথিবী যতদিন থাকবে ততদিন তা স্মরণীয় হয়ে থাকবে এবং ভবিষ্যত প্রজন্মের জন্য পাথেয় হয়ে থাকবে। আপনার কৃতকর্ম ও আদর্শকে আমাদের জীবনের প্রতিটি ক্ষেত্রেই শ্রদ্ধার সাথে স্মরণ ও বাস্তবে কাজে লাগানোর চেষ্টা করে যাবো। নামাজ পড়ে দোয়া করি, হে আল্লাহ আপনার তো ওয়াদা আছে “আপনার সৃষ্টি জীবের কল্যাণে যে কাজ করবে আপনি তাঁর কল্যাণ করবেন”, আমাদের আবেদ ভাই তো সারা জীবনই সৃষ্টিসেরা মানুষের কল্যাণে কাজ করে গেছেন, আবেদ ভাইকে আল্লাহ আপনি বিনা হিসাবে জন্নাতুল ফেরদৌস নসিব করুন। আমিন

মো. ফয়েজুল্যাহ

About Respected Leader Abed bhai:

A man who worked for men, served for men and sacrificed the whole life for men is our great leader Sir Fazle Hasan Abed,KCMG, popularly known as Abed bhai. He is no more in our midst. I deeply mourn and pray for his departed soul -May Allah bless him with peace. Being a great leader not only did he lead a million but he also established a huge structure of safeguarding named BRAC. I salute him from the core of my heart. Now the world is learning from BRAC and simultaneously, BRAC is working with them for sustainable development. Therefore Abed bhai is a name of possible of impossible -the endless power.

ASM Sofrul Islam

BRAC and Sir Abed is Synonymous

During my undergrad studies, nearly 11 years back, I didn`t know about Sir Abed. Astonishingly, I have known and read a lot of news about BRAC. Sir Abed has never built his name for fame rather tried to put the focus on BRAC`s success. From the very beginning of BRAC, Sir Abed has made so many impossibles into the possibility that the world witnessed. Today, no matter, whichever corner you be in, just mention-BRAC; people with a conscience will know the name. The development sector is actually synonymous with BRAC. This only happened because of the visionary leadership of Sir Abed. Abed Bhai was neither my family member nor my direct working colleague. But the influence and environment he created within and beyond BRAC, I am feeling heavy heart since the 20th of December, after his demise. I earnestly pray that Allah may grant him Jannah. Individuals stay alive through his/her works and contributions- Abed Bhai is the sole instance of this statement.

Md Shahidur Rahman

কিংবদন্তি স্যার ফজলে হাসান আবেদ

প্রিয় আবেদ ভাই ছিলেন সব সময়ের জন্য অনুকরণীয় মানবিক একজন মানুষ। আবেদ ভাই তার জীবনের সব আয়োজন কে অন্যের কল্যাণে ব্যয় করার যে উদার মানবিকতা প্রদর্শন করেছেন, তা মানুষের মনে শক্ত আসন করে নিয়েছে। ব্যক্তির উর্ধ্বে উঠে পুরো বিশ্বের দরিদ্র্য, নিপীড়িত মানুষের জন্য কাজ করার মাধ্যমে প্রিয় আবেদ ভাই নিজেকে কিংবদন্তি করে তুলেছেন। কীর্তিমান এই মানুষটিকে মানুষ এবং মানুষের ইতিহাস সবসময়, সবকালে স্বরণ করবে। স্যার ফজলে হাসান আবেদ ভাইয়ের প্রতি গভীর শ্রদ্ধা।

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