THE land of Bengal remains a part of our heart, yet it is also an enigma. There are many questions to ask, though one question overshadows all the others. Before turning to it, however, another question deserves attention. When my friend Saghir Qamar travelled to Bangladesh during the recent elections, his interest was not confined to the excitement and intrigue of electoral politics. He also tried to understand the visible and invisible forces shaping the future of the country. This search led him to Sangram, a well-known newspaper in Dhaka. Coincidentally, its Managing Editor, Dr Noor-ul-Amin, was in Islamabad a few days ago. My dear friend and distinguished journalist, Mian Muhammad Munir, organized a gathering in his honour at the National Press Club, attended by a number of scholars and intellectuals who were eager to revisit old memories and understand the new realities of Bangladesh. Dr Noor-ul-Amin began his career as a journalist. In the days of united Pakistan, he worked for the Pakistan Observer. He later joined the civil service, but after retirement he returned to journalism. Now eighty years old, he remains remarkably active. Why had Dr Noor-ul-Amin chosen to visit Pakistan in such hot weather? The question was on everyone’s mind, and the guest himself provided the answer.

He explained that old age had overtaken him and that nobody knew what tomorrow might........

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