Peer Habib: Four Years Without the Fearless Penman

Today marks the fourth anniversary of the final departure of Peer Habibur Rahman—a man who spent his life swimming against the harshest currents to reach the shores of success. To the world, he was a formidable “warrior of the pen,” but to me, he was simply “Dost” (friend). This single word encapsulated a lifetime of trust, shared secrets, and an unwavering brotherhood that began in our youth and endured until his last breath.

A Master of the Written Word

Peer Habib possessed a signature style that was unmistakably his own. Whether crafting news reports, searing columns, or evocative prose, his writing danced with a rhythmic grace. He understood the soul of words; in his hands, language would chime like anklets, resonating deep within the reader’s heart. He was a man who spoke the “unpleasant truth” with data-driven logic and a poetic flow that few could replicate.

His heart was a sanctuary for the greats: he found his romantic soul in Tagore, his rebellious spark in Nazrul, and his spiritual depth in Lalon. He lived by the credo that one cannot truly be a poet, a writer, or a journalist without the “bleeding of the heart.” This emotional intensity always drew him back to his first love: the water-soaked, moonlit town of Sunamganj.

A Life Defined by Courage

Born on 12 November 1963, Peer Habib was the seventh child of the late Rais Ali Peer and Syeda Rahima Khanam. His journey from the Jubilee School in Sunamganj to the Political Science department at Rajshahi University was marked by a burgeoning activism. He was a founding member of the Rajshahi University Press Club in 1984 and suffered imprisonment in 1985 for his role in the anti-autocracy movement.

The Bond of Friendship

We lived in adjacent halls at Rajshahi—he in SM Hall, I in Syed Amir Ali Hall. Despite belonging to different political ideologies, our friendship was seamless. We spent late nights roaming the campus and watching films on VCR. I remember vividly when we both ran for the post of Magazine Editor in the RACSU (Rajshahi University Central Students’ Union) elections. I won, and he lost. Yet, instead of resentment, he embraced me, saying, “Your rise is my rise.” That was the essence of Peer Habib.

The Final Battle

In 1991, he moved to Dhaka, eventually becoming a household name through his columns and TV talk shows. His work at Bangladesh Pratidin solidified his legacy as a journalist who never bowed his head.

When the pandemic struck, it brought with it a complex diagnosis. He fought cancer with superhuman resolve, surviving chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant. He eventually conquered cancer, but his depleted immune system could not withstand the onslaught of COVID-19. On 5 February 2022, the life support was withdrawn, and a monumental chapter of Bangladeshi journalism came to a close.

He was buried in Sunamganj, beside his parents, as per his final wish. Though he is gone, his courage, his rhythm, and his unwavering belief in a secular, democratic Bangladesh remain. Stay well, Dost, in the world beyond.