REMEMBERING CAPT IMAM ANWAR(6N) – Dilwar Ali (6E)

I intend to share my grief with you for sudden loss of one my best friend and batch mate Capt. Imam Anwar(6N) with whom I shared happiness and sorrows for over 50 years.

We both passed from Dhaka college, joined Bangladesh Marine Academy, Chittagong at the same time and our bondage strengthened further as our social and political views were very well aligned. A dominant speaker among our peers, while Zooming, chatting, FB comments. Knowledgeable and humorous character that kept our adda going for hours. Once he commented “Dosto, we can talk anything uncensored, any topic that cannot be shared with anyone else on earth”.

A dedicated freedom fighter always brains stormed how to boost our marine industry. Once he excitingly phoned at around 2 am Melbourne time to tell me that he commanded a ship from Chittagong to Narayanganj and proved that Narayanganj could be another seaport like Mongla and Chittagong.

Because of his inability to travel to S’pore due to COVID restriction for medication, his transplanted Kidney showed signs of deterioration and after extreme difficulty, flown in an air ambulance to Mount Elizabeth Hospital, S’pore on 2nd Jan 21. His kidney functionality was somewhat restored to normal but had to undergo a heart valve surgery. After returning to ward, he was given a milo drink, immediately vomited and within minutes collapsed and breathed his last. I was stunned, bewildered how and why?? in a renowned, medically advanced healthcare center, this could happen!!

He got me disconnected in FB/Messenger before going for surgery but latter on I found in Nasim Bhabi’s FB comment “Dears pray, pray for me- Imam ”

He organized and financed 6th Batch reunion in December 2016, with never-ending adda in Radisson, Dhaka, Grand Sultan resort, Sreemongal, and in his tea garden, Sylhet. Our travel to and from Sylthet, via his palatial home in Norshindi was most exciting. Attached few photos out of hundreds of videos and still shots.

To my dismay, he was an aggressive investor, we had disputed arguments. Despite his roller coaster ride, he grew, had a fleet of 4 ships, became major shareholder and chairman of Prime bank, owned fertilizer, cement industry, garments and tea garden etc. Marine Academy was his heart and soul. He donated a training boat to Marine Academy and continued financing President’s Gold medal until 2011.

Imam Anwar’ s departure on 7th Jan 21 has deeply hurt me and caused an emotional scar for rest of my life.

Photographic memories with Imam Anwar:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1u8WBeKIyTLZ3wGGMKh3vWYWNsHzxaORY?usp=sharing

---

Dilwar Ali(6E) / Melbourne