Journalist Enayetullah Khan breathed his last by Ajoy Roy

Journalist Enayetullah Khan breathed his last

Ajoy Roy

Published on May 03, 2009

A well known journalist of multifarious profession, self proclaimed Marxist politician, though never been a member of any Marxism based political party, breathed his last in Torento General Hospital at Canada, where he was being treated on cancer affected liver, on 10^th November at about 9-20 a.m. local time. He had been suffering from liver cancer for the last one year and being operated twice in the same hospital. He was 66 and left behind his wife, a daughter, and two sons. He married more than once.

Mr. Khan led a colorful life and quite popular among the left oriented politicians, anti-Indian political parties right and left equally. He himself, through out his life, was an ardent critic of India, whoever assumed the state power there, Awami League and its leader Sheikh Mujib, CPB, and NAP (Muzaffar). He had little respect for veteran communist leader Mani Singh. He, with many of co-thinkers, used to call CPB, Mani Singh and NAP (Muzaffar) as ï¿½B teamsï¿½ of AL and agents of Soviet reformative and Indian Expansionism, two popular terms used among the pro-Mao and ultra left followers. At times he appeared to be extreme anti Hindu and anti secularism- which brought him closer to Islamic fundamentalists who often thought that Enayetullah was their man. He was in fact very close to present BNP government, although not directly associated with the party, maintaining a respectable distance. He was definitely a clever and intelligent man, being considered a man nearer to Begum Zia.

Born on 25^th May, 1939 in a elite family Mr. Khan obtained his M. A. degree in Philosophy from Dacca University in 1960. During his student life he was an activist student leader; though kept close link with all progressive student political parties he was never a member of any of those parties. He was general secretary of Mymensingh College union in 1958-59 and was elected VP of Dacca Hall union in 1959-60. He started his journalist career as a reporter of the then ï¿½Pakistan Observerï¿½ (now Bangladesh Observer) after his student career. In 1965 he started a weekly newspaper ï¿½Holidayï¿½ in English under his editorship, which become quite popular among the upper class.

I am not sure what was his role during nine month of our war of liberation. Certainly he never claimed himself to be a freedom fighter, rather was very critical of ALï¿½s role during 1971 when entire nation was fighting the barbarous Pakistanis from outside or from within. His enemies says that during those critical days he maintained a close relation with Mr. Zufiqar Ali Bhutto and his party PPP. After the liberation when AL formed government with Sheikh Mujibur as PM, Holiday became a vehement critic of AL and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the architect of Bangladesh, which Enayetullah never admitted. Holiday became the champion of upholding the cause of Albadars and Razakars in the name of returning stranded Bengalese in Pakistan. He even posed a question ï¿½Sixty millions collaborators ?ï¿½ in his Holiday.

After the gruesome assassination of Bangabandhu, he and his Holiday was visibly jubilant and extended support to killer Mustaq Ahmed and his Surya-Santans Faruqh, Rashid, Dalim, Pasha and gang. He wrote an article on Bangabandhu published by the then weekly Vichitra, edited by Shahadat Choudhury, which clearly exposed his inner mind, his attitude towards India, Hindus and AL.

After the fall of Mustaq Ahmed and rise of Major General Zia, following the so called Sepoy Revolution of 7^th November, 1975 Enayetullah played a significant role from behind. He became very close to Zia with many other left politicians like Zadu Mian, Kazi Zafar etc.. belonging to once NAP Bhasani. Many say he played a key role in ousting Col Taher and JSD from the helm of affairs. Ultimately he became a minister of natural resources etc. in Zia cabinet during 1977-78. From 1984-89 he served as an ambassador in China, North Korea, Cambodia and Myanmar. This assignment, not being a seasoned politician or a career diplomat, clearly points out how close he was to General Zia, President of Bangladesh. With the death of Zia, he somehow fell from grace as newer competitors and new faces in BNP politics appeared who are more active with slogan ï¿½Action, action, direct actionï¿½. Surely sophisticated Enayetullah was a misfit to new setup under PM Begum Khaleda, widow of General Zia.

Not even being a fulltime politician, he enjoyed all the benefits that were due to seasoned politicians. Here lies the credit and intelligence of Enayetullah Khan. Never belonging to any socialism or communism based parties in BD, nor involving himself any peasant, labor or any revolutionary movement he was regarded as a Marxist or even a Communist. This reflects how clever and meritorious, possessing maneuvering capability, was he as a man.

Personally, we have never been close to each other, al though I contributed articles in his Holiday when I was deeply involved in sixty-nine mass movement that ultimately followed non-cooperation movement culminating into war of liberation. Politically, we were miles away from each other. But nevertheless he possessed a charming personality with whom you can talk and argue, never being bored or annoyed. But I always discovered in him a hidden but sophisticated communalism. This was his limitation, or might be this was his ideology ï¿½ ï¿½Moslem Marxismï¿½, I donï¿½t know.

Needless to say, late Enayetullah Khan was surely a colorful personality in our socio-political society. Surely he enjoyed his life thoroughly. Let us pay our tribute to the departed soul, who tried to serve Bangladesh in his own style and conception, with which we may or may not agree. Be peace on him.

Prof. Ajoy K. Roy, is a reputed scientist and human rights activist from Bangladesh