Abbas Pramanik of Gurudaspur in Natore is 123 years old, according to his national voter ID card, which gives his year of birth as 1903. He has lived through British rule, the Pakistan period and the 1952 Language Movement. Over his long life he worked as a teacher and taught local children the Quran free of charge.
The son of the late Sadar Uddin, he lives in Jogendranagar village in Biaghat union of Gurudaspur upazila. He taught at Khubjipur Primary School on a salary of just Tk 60. He is the father of two daughters and six sons; his wife died many years ago.
Age has left him frail. He needs a stick to walk and his hearing has weakened, but his eyesight is still largely normal: he says his prayers and reads the Quran without glasses, and wears a Casio watch.
According to his family, none of his contemporaries is still alive, and he has spent much of his life largely alone. Though he once had money and property, he now lives in a dilapidated house. Many old memories have faded with age, but he still keeps to his religious practice and tries to do things for himself.
His favourite foods include batasha, a sugar sweet, cow’s milk and red lentils. His grandsons’ wives look after him as far as they can.
His grandson Shafiqul Islam said his grandfather is a very devout and honest man who preferred a simple life. He once considered riding in a vehicle a luxury and mostly walked everywhere. Now, though his body no longer allows it as before, he tries to walk around the courtyard leaning on his stick.
Another grandson, Belal Hossain, said Abbas’s children are all busy with their own households, so no one in particular looks after him. Family members help as they can, but it is not always possible to provide the nutritious food he needs at his age.
His daughter Alima Begum said Abbas lost his mother when he was only five and was raised by his father, and that she has seen him live honestly and simply since her childhood. He can still read the Quran without glasses, she said, while many of his children now have blurred vision. She visits whenever she can and brings his favourite food.
Gurudaspur upazila nirbahi officer Fahmida Afroz said Abbas Pramanik is one of the oldest people in the upazila. Because he has difficulty moving, the upazila administration has built steps in front of his house. Khubjipur Elderly Care Centre has taken responsibility for his treatment, and the administration has also helped him at various times.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report