Brac University commemorates Sir Fazle Hasan Abed

Brac University has commemorated the life and works of Sir Fazle Hasan Abed in an event to mark the first death anniversary of the founder of the world’s largest development NGO.

The virtual event ‘In memoriam: Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, KCMG’ was held on Saturday, the university said in a media statement on Sunday evening.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Vincent Chang described Sir Fazle as an inspiration to all.

The university is set to emerge as a “proud global institution” from Bangladesh to carry the legacy of Sir Fazle, Prof Chang said.

Messages from Fazle Abed’s friends and colleagues from across the world were shared in the event. Students and alumni of Brac University also delivered their messages.

Hossain Zillur Rahman, chairperson of BRAC, moderated a panel discussion. FH Abed “strongly” believed that education has to be inclusive, creative and geared towards meeting life’s challenges, the discussants said.

They “highly” appreciated his love for arts and “profound” belief in the humanistic approaches in education and his passion for holistic and comprehensive education.

Speakers at the event shared their stories and experiences with Abed - how he dedicated his life to combat poverty and empowering women and how his innovative ideas and works transformed lives of millions across the globe.

He never sought wealth and publicity for his personal benefit, rather he chose to invest all of his enormous skills for the deprived people, said Rehman Sobhan, chairman of Centre for Policy Dialogue or CPD.

Tamara Hasan Abed, chairperson of the university’s  board of trustees, shared Sir Fazle’s views on education, noting that he always had an enormous passion for education and for him, education was a tool to pave the way for inclusion, tolerance and equality.

She also pointed out that Sir Fazle’s aim was to establish Brac University as an institution to build conscious, empathetic and capable leaders who will contribute to the development of Bangladesh and beyond.

The students and alumni performed two of Sir Fazle’s favourite Tagore songs to pay tribute to his love for music, art and culture.

The event also included a video on his life and legacy.

He died at a Dhaka hospital with a brain tumour at the age of 83.