Riedwan Habibur Rahman, as a person, can be best described as “an ever-smiling man with a heart of gold.” He was always the first person to greet anyone who entered through the door of the Centre for Peace and Justice, BRAC University (CPJ). Perhaps it was his friendly demeanour and full-of-life presence that made everyone grow fond of his company within minutes.
Riedwan, also known as Aritro to his close ones, was born in 1996 in Faridpur. He completed his undergraduate degree from BRAC University in 2018, receiving a Bachelor of Social Science (BSS) in Anthropology. He then completed a Master of Development Studies (MDS) from the BRAC Institute of Governance and Development, BRAC University.
His promising life was cut short by a heart attack in the early hours of April 8, 2023, and he left a void in all of our hearts that will never be filled.
He joined CPJ as a Research Assistant in 2018. At the time of his sudden demise, he worked as a Research Associate under the Faith and Development Project at CPJ.
Riedwan, being the keen learner that he was, also made substantial contributions to CPJ’s administrative, communication, and field activities.
Before joining CPJ, he worked at BBC Media Action as a Research Assistant and at the Center for Bangladesh Studies (CBS) as a Programme Assistant. He was holding an offer to pursue an MA in Anthropology of Food from the prestigious SOAS in September this year.
Also, an avid foodie, a poet, and a photographer, Riedwan will be remembered as a dedicated, smiling and hardworking young man by those who knew him, by those who were touched by his larger-than-life but at the same time soft and calm presence.
To honour Riedwan Habibur Rahman and his contributions to CPJ and BRAC University, CPJ held a memorial on April 13, 2023 at the BRAC University Auditorium. The event was attended by many of his family members, teachers, friends, and colleagues.
In their gracious presence, Manzoor Hasan OBE, Executive Director of CPJ, announced the launching of the ‘Riedwan Aritro Internship’ programme to commemorate the moments Riedwan had shared with his colleagues at CPJ in the past four years.
Speaking about the articles Riedwan had written for numerous renowned national newspapers, Dave Dowland, Registrar, BRAC University, said, “I have read some of his articles and noticed his lively interest in the latest developments in artificial intelligence (AI). He had a view on the threats and risks of AI and also an optimistic take on the opportunities of AI for human rights, peace, and justice.”
Sharing her experience of working with and knowing Riedwan, Samia Huq, Dean, School of General Education, and Research Fellow, Centre for Peace & Justice, BRAC University, said, “I have had the privilege of knowing Riedwan for 8 years. He was a smiling, quiet, calm, and very sweet presence in the class. He was a giver, not a taker. As his teacher, I am proud of the fact that he was also open to his own drawbacks and receiving feedback. This is a very important attribute of life-long learning and growth.”
Seuty Sabur, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Department of Economics and Social Sciences, said, “Riedwan was a caring and driven man. He loved others wholeheartedly. He never held back. He took care of everybody he knew to the best of his abilities.”
Rifat Sultana, Director, HR, BRAC University, “Riedwan’s desk was placed in such a way that whoever walked into CPJ had to see him first and he was always ready to welcome anyone with a bright smile. Such is the warmth and comfort he extended.”
Shahariar Sadat, Director, Academic and Legal Empowerment, CPJ, said “I was very happy when gave me the news that he secured an offer from SOAS. We even sat down and talked about what the next steps would be for him last week. We will always remember him through our work and in our minds.”
M Sanjeeb Hossain, Director, Research, CPJ, said, “Riedwan now belongs to a realm whose doors always open unannounced. If I take the grand scheme of things into account, I know sooner or later I will be seeing Riedwan, and that thought makes me very happy.”
This event was hosted by Antara Tasmeen, Lead, Capacity Building, CPJ and started with a special prayer session for Riedwan.
Here is the full video of the event: