A dedicated good human being for the cause of the poor.

Hafiz Alam Sairani breathed his last only recently. A person of integrity and unflinching commitment to protect and promote the interests of the poor passed away untimely. I had the privilege of being close to him for over a period of more than three or four decades. An unassuming thorough gentleman who lived his life for only 64 years. His modest approach to life was, as I observed, full of humility. He was a keen learner of the philosophical aspect of Marxism though working in the rank of a basically nationalist political outfit, All India Forward Block. His contact with the masses in and around his ancestral dwelling was phenomenal.

In fact, I do not exactly remember the day I met him first. Maybe it was during the beginning of the nineties of the last century. I was at Malda where he came to me for a while, introduced himself as a school teacher in some nearby school. Some friend of mine introduced him. At first sight, he appeared to be quite a simple young man having political connections with the All India Forward Block. We continued to discuss the problems of the farmers in the districts around Malda. It was then my turn to be impressed about his knowledge of the peasants' movement in Bengal in particular. He was keen to learn about the Marxist analysis on the prevailing land system of West Bengal. I preferred to confess that the issue as raised was mostly beyond my complete comprehension. However, we became friends in no time, that too on the understanding of theoretical postulates of Marxist thoughts.

The relationship thus developed continued even after Hafiz became a member of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly and a Minister in the Left Front government. I was often amused to find the same person whom I met accidentally at Malda. There was no change at all in his approach to life. In course of time, he became my compatriot and one younger brother. Hafiz was somewhat a down-to-earth modest individual. He was rather an introvert personality, unlike most political beings. He was always soft-spoken but argumentative to accept any proposal of importance. On different occasions, even in the state Left Front meetings, I had the privilege of being with him where several key issues were discussed and decided. I also had the experience of joining the drafting of political resolutions when Hafiz enriched our thoughts.

We have spent hours in intense discussions on the issues pertaining to the livelihood of the people in millions who are engaged in agricultural works. His grasp on the subject, as I observed, was so practical. He never relented in raising pertinent questions to uphold the cause of the poor and deprived agricultural workers who spend their hard labor from dawn to dusk for a modest living. Unfortunately, even after a lapse of more than seventy-five years after independence from colonial rule, we are left with nothing but remorse for a vast majority of our own brothers and sisters. This is still a deceptive mirage that used to haunt my brother Hafiz. We have not been successful in raising issues of nature, degradation of environment and ecology that adversely affect the lives of the majority to satisfy the growth of capitalism the world over.

I shall cherish the memory of my friend and brother Hafiz for the rest of my life. Long live his memory.