Published in the Weekly Holiday on February 02, 2018

It is in fact a coincidence to write about Ambassador Mir Mohammed Rezaul Karim since I met his classmate, a former American diplomat in the State department at a recent gathering at Falls Church of Virginia. Both were student at Fletcher school of Law and diplomacy. The gentleman has spoken of Rezaul Karim’s brilliancy in the school because he saw him during day time dating with women students, but he passed out with flying color.

Having passed out from Fletcher school of diplomacy Rezaul Karim joined Pakistan foreign service in 1966.When Pakistan marauding army attacked innocent people of erstwhile East Pakistan in March of 1971 Rezaul Karim was posted in Pakistan embassy in London as Counsellor, one of the two seniors Bangladeshi origin serving London embassy. Another Salimuzzaman was Deputy Chief of Mission. Mohiuddin Ahmed was second secretary, who defected first to Bangladesh government in exile from London. Having pursued by Mr. Abdul Matin, a former correspondent of Pakistan Observer in London and former Bureau chief of United Press of Pakistan in Dacca and Professor Rehman Sobhan, who was representing Bangladesh government in exile, Rezaul Karim resigned from Pakistan embassy on 8 October of 1971. This was reported by London Guardian. Deputy High Commissioner Salimuzzaman,a Bengali diplomat, on the other hand, was elevated as Acting High commissioner as a result of Pakistan High commissioner Salman Ali was called back to Pakistan as he was unsuccessful in preventing access to the British Foreign office and office of the British Prime Minister Edward Heath of Justice Abu Sayeed Choudhury, who was special representative in London of Bangladesh government in exile.

When Justice Abu Sayeed Choudhury was asked to join as President of newly created Bangladesh in 1972 Ambassador Rezaul Karim became de facto head of Bangladesh mission in London. Reazul Karim was fortunate enough to receive Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Heathrow airport on 8 January of 1972 when he was released from Pakistan jail along with Dr. Kamal Hossain. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was briefed by M. M. Rezaul Karim about the episode leading to the liberation of Bangladesh from clutches of Pakistan army. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was received by Prime Minister Edward Heath of the Great Britain breaking all protocol at 10 Downing street on 9 January. That was unprecedented indeed because the Bristish government did not recognize Bangladesh at that time. The Great Britain recognized Bangladesh on 2 February of 1972, but Bangladesh mission was allowed to operate in London.

While serving in the Ministry of Foreign affairs on return from London Ambassador M. M Reazul Karim joined as Director in the Ministry but our paths did not cross as most of the time Ambassador M. M. Rezaul Karim was on Ambassadorial assignments and was asked to open embassy in Riyadh. Incidentally, myself and Ambassador M. M. Rezaul Karim hailed from Kushtia district.

Somehow or other we came into contact after his retirement from the Foreign Office. I was avid reader of his column in the Daily Star: Point and counter point while I was one of the contributors to Daily Star. Sometimes we exchanged opinion on his write-up. Ambassador M. M. Rezaul Karim was possibly aspiring to become Foreign Minister of Bangladesh which made him to join Bangladesh Nationalist Party during the reign of Begum Khaleda Zia. Ambassador Rezaul Karim joined as member of advisorial council. Frequently he visited Kushtia to establish his base there. As a result, both of us exploited Saudi Ambassador in Bangladesh Ambassador Abdullatif A.Al-Maimanee for good cause. While serving in West-Asia desk of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs I had established friendship with Saudi Ambassador who was literary bend of mind to know more about Poet Nazrul Islam. That reflected in his letter to this writer dated July 17,1986 wherein Saudi Ambassador wrote:” it does not go without saying in this respect that, those valuable books will open a great window for me to have better understanding to the beauty of poetry as well as philosophy of that great poet of Bangladesh”. Ambassador Rezaul Karim had sought financial help from Saudi Ambassador to expand and renovate Grad old Jame Mosque in Kushtia town and this writer had sought help for Children hospital in Kushtia established by Justice Ruhul Islam and for Kachi-Kanchar Mela, largest children organization of Bangladesh. Ambassador Rezaul Karim got money for Kushtia Jame Mosque this writer succeeded to get around thirty thousand for Kushtia Shishu hospital. Child specialist Professor M.R khan was visiting professor at Shishu Hospital.

For some time, Ambassador Rezaul Karim was spokesperson of Bangladesh Nationalist Party, but he was replaced by Anwar Zahid. Ambassador Karim did not relish this change who had sought my advice. Incidentally, this writer was acquainted with Mr. A. M. Zahiruddin Khan of BNP. Having discussed with Mr.Zahiruddin Ambassador Rezaul Karim had regained spokesperson position of BNP who was seen briefing news media during first general election under caretaker administration in February of 1991 from Hotel Intercontinental where Mr.Abdur Rahim, former News Editor of Pakistan Observer, was Press Secretary of BNP. At time this writer saw Ambassador Rezaul Karim was accompanied by another stalwart of former Pakistan foreign service officer Mr. Kaiser Rashid, younger brother of Mr. Humayun Rashid. Mr. Kaiser Rashid Choudhury was Private secretary of Pakistan Foreign Minister Mr. Z. A. Bhutto but he resigned from Pakistan Foreign service after the fall of Mr.Z.A.Bhutto.This writer had developed excellent relations with Mr. Kaiser Rashid choudhury from Kuala Lumpur where he was frequent visitor to meet his wife, who was sister of Prime Minister Datuk Hussein Onn of Malaysia.

This writer came to know from writing of renowned journalist Mr. Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury that Ambassador Reazul Karim was the President of Commonwealth Society of Bangladesh who served as an International observer during parliamentary election in Sri Lanka in 1994,in Cameroon in 1997 and Pakistan in 2002.

Ambassador Rezaul Karim had sought nomination from Kushtia but he was deprived of. The nomination was accorded to a business tycoon by BNP.Possibly as a consolation Ambassador Rezaul Karim was appointed on contractual basis Ambassador to Egypt who is longest serving Bangladesh Ambassadors in history of Bangladesh. Ambassador M. M Rezaul Karim also handed over paternal house at Naya Paltan to Kushtia samity in Dhaka with nominal prices with consent of his brothers. He was great soul and amiable personality. He died in Egypt on 28 October of 2005 while serving Bangladesh as Ambassador.