Homage To Prof. Mohammad Ali An Unsung Hero Of His Time

Chowdhury Mohammad Ali :
Like many others I feel very much privileged and lucky to have the chance to be a student of such a legendary scholar whose charming personality and range of learning impressed anybody whoever came in contact with him. He is late Professor Mohammad Ali (1934- 2021), an Oxford scholar and a legendary figure of our time. He was a true portrait of an ideal teacher whose whole life was dedicated to the apparently charmless profession of teaching. He was the founder Head of the English Department of Chittagong University. He joined Chittagong University in 1967 and since then he had been employed in teaching there until he got retired in 1996. Besides teaching, Prof. Ali also occupied some very important administrative positions later. First he was the Vice-Chancellor of Chittagong University, the institution he worked in as a senior professor for a long time. Then he worked as the Member of Bangladesh University Grants Commission for a term. He had also worked later as the vice-chancellor of three renowned private universities of the country successively before he finally started his retired life at home. This renowned legendary educationist of the country breathed his last on June 24, 2021.
It was in Chittagong University I first saw Ali Sir at his English Department. That was a very memorable moment for me; really the impression was simply ‘love at first sight’. I still vividly remember the very day of my first visit to English Department. It was an October morning of 1977. I still relish reminiscing my first encounter with Ali Sir. He was the chair of the Viva Board that I faced for admission in first year Honors. The experience was simply amazing. I can still very well remember that very question he asked me, my reply to which caused a roar of laughter in the board.
Prof. Mohammad Ali was a legendary figure of fame and name known all over the country as a distinguished scholar of English. He was known to be an Oxford scholar of extraordinary caliber. His brilliant career of securing first class in all the examinations in life was a matter of surprise and envy for anybody. Besides, his outstanding performance as a teacher earned a great respect and popularity among the students. To the outsiders he was known to be a very handsome figure neatly dressed, decent in manner and unusual in scholarship. To me what is most attractive and adorable about him is his charming personality. What a great man he is! What a noble heart he has!
Later when I joined the department as a teacher, I got that rare privilege of knowing Professor Mohammad Ali personally and more closely. In personal life also, he was a wonderfully impressive personality. Anyone who came in contact with him was just impressed and became a fan of him. His charming personality had a wonderful attractive power that could capture anyone’s interest. Talking to him is a pleasant experience for all. I found very few persons so charming and impressive in table talk as he. Talking to him was always rewarding for me. Every time I had a discourse with him, I got enriched and enlightened. His range of reading was so wide that he could speak on any issue with confidence and authority. The simple impression about him is: so learned a man but so modest!
Professor Ali played a key role in the formative stage of Chittagong University. He was the first Dean of the university. As the Dean, he was entirely responsible for designing the curricula of the new university, which he discharged very successfully to the utmost satisfaction of all concerned. Thus, he not only raised the new English department of the new university as the founding Head but also contributed enormously to designing the curricula of the whole university as its first Dean. He was actively involved in raising the English Department as well as the new university.
His contribution to the nation building as well as to the promotion of English Language Teaching (ELT) in the country was also very significant. He was the Inspector of Colleges of Chittagong University from the very beginning. Since the university was initially established as an affiliating university, all the degree awarding colleges/institutions of the eastern region of the country i.e. greater Chittagong division were affiliated with the university. Not only that, side by side as the Head of the Department of English his role in the promotion of English language teaching was also very much laudable.
I was lucky not only to be able to come in contact with him but also to benefit from his affection, association and generosity. Personally I feel ever grateful to this great man for his constant shower of blessings, affection and love on me. It was for his generosity to a large extent that my life got a definite shape and destiny. I pray for this great soul. May his departed soul rest in eternal peace. May Allah (SWT) forgive him and reward him with Jannatul Ferdous. Long live our Ali Sir in our memory, in the memory of thousands of his students, colleagues and well-wishers.

(Chowdhury Mohammad Ali is Professor, Department of English, University of Chittagong)