We remember SM Abdus Sattar (24 April 1940-20 June 2004)

Late SM Abdus Sattar was happily married to Mrs. Shahida Begum and blessed with two daughters and two sons. His elder son Mr. Borhan Uddin currently works at ICDDR,B as Senior Coordination Officer, Human Resources.

SM Abdus Sattar joined the Pakistan-SEATO Cholera Research Laboratory (now ICDDR,B) in September 1968, in the Administration Unit at Matlab. He was involved in local procurement, yearly supply contracts for hospital food, local recruitment, supply inventory, and the procurement/registration of land for field stations. At that time communication with Dhaka was difficult, so it took several days to receive petrol, medicine, and other supplies at Matlab from Dhaka.

Apart from his administrative activities, Mr. Sattar also contributed to vaccine trials and census by staying at and visiting the different field stations, where he acted as Team Leader/Camp manager. When activities increased at Matlab, the Government Public Hospital was rented and the work expanded.

During the Liberation War, he and the other officers were fully responsible for all the administrative and research activities at the Matlab Field station. After the war, SM Abdus Sattar was responsible for dispersing local salaries, paying local suppliers, managing the guesthouse, entertaining guests, the central store, inventory and stock management, and also for liaison with Government officials and leaders, paying salaries at field sites and for land purchase/lease contracts.

SM Abdus Sattar was the coordinating person for the Matlab field station. He was responsible for all construction work, procurement, and payment relating to the building of the Matlab office. In this role, he handled approximately 4.3 crore Taka. He also served in the capacities of Administrative Officer, Senior Administrative Officer, Senior Store Officer, and Senior Accounts Officer. In absence of the Manager, Administration and Accounts, he also acted in this role. During flooding, he had to monitor the field stations and take appropriate measures.

SM Abdus Sattar retired from ICDDR,B in April 2000, at the age of 60 years, having successfully completed his tenure. On his retirement, he performed the Holy Haj in January 2003.  On 20 June 2004, while traveling to his native village in Barisal, he suddenly died of acute heart failure. His body was returned to Dhaka and buried at Shahid Buddijibi graveyard in Mirpur.

We pray for his eternal peace and for the members of his bereaved family.