Dhaka – Recalling the great contribution of late National Professor Dr Nurul Islam to the country’s medical science, physicians and educationists here at a commemorative meeting on Friday demanded installation of his statue at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU).
If the sculpture of Prof Islam is erected at the BSMMU, medical students will be encouraged to devote themselves to providing better medical services upholding his ideology and works, they said.Janasheba Foundation (JF) and University of Science and Technology, Chittagong (USTC) jointly organised the commemorative meeting at Cirdap auditorium in the capital in observance of the first death anniversary of National Professor Dr Nurul Islam.
Chaired by Professor Emeritus Anisuzzaman, a renowned educationist, the meeting was addressed, among others, by former President Prof Dr AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury, Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Dhaka Sarath K Weragoda, National Professor Brig Gen (retd) Dr Abdul Malik, National Professor MR Khan, former caretaker government adviser Mahbubul Alam, trustee of Gonoshasthaya Kendra Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, USTC Vice-chancellor Prof Dr Rezaul Karim and Prof Mahmud Hasan.
In his speech, Prof Badruddoza Chowdhury said the clinical diagnosis of late Dr Islam was excellent and he was a good teacher in classroom.
Recalling his contribution to the medical science, the former President said the late national professor wrote over 100 publications on health and drugs in international journals and authored many books.
Referring to his personality, B Chowdhury said Dr Islam, in dress, was a perfect British, not Chittagonian or Bangladeshi, but religious.
Sri Lankan High Commissioner Sarath K Weragoda said he had an opportunity to come close with Prof Islam and observed that the late national professor was an educationist, medical scientist, social worker, researcher and anti-tobacco leader.
He said Prof Islam established the University of Science and Technology, Chittagong (USTC), which is a sanctuary of Sri Lankan students who could not get admitted into medical colleagues in Sri Lanka.
The standard of education at USTC is of other countries, the Lankan High Commissioner said, adding that many Sri Lankan students have come out successfully as doctors from the university and they are providing health care services to Sri Lankan people back to their country.
Remembering the contribution of Dr Islam to anti-tobacco campaign, he said Dr Islam launched the anti-tobacco movement in Bangladesh first by establishing ADHUNIK, a national anti-tobacco organisation.
National Professor Brig Gen (retd) Dr Abdul Malik said country’s people will always remember the contribution of the late professor to health care services. “I observed that Dr Islam was very creative and punctual. He thought how more innovative works can be done,” he said.
National Professor MR Khan said Dr Islam was an eminent teacher, physician and social workers, and he received over 32 awards, including Bangla Academy Award (2003), which was an outstanding achievement.
Dr Islam obtained MB from Calcutta in 1951; TDD from the University of Wales in 1955; MRCP in 1956; FCCP from American College of Chest Physicians in 1962; FCPS in 1963; FRCP Edin in 1966; FRCP Lond in 1977; DSc, Ansted University, Malaysia in 1999; FCGP, Bangladesh.
Dr Islam was specialised in the field of medical science. He was a successful physician, teacher and research scientist and an outstanding personality of Bangladesh. He was the dreamer and architect of tobacco-free society who first launched the anti-tobacco movement in Bangladesh.
