A British born Humanitarian becomes; Prey to Vultures of the Society.

“Center for Rehabilitation of the Paralyzed (CRP)” is a Voluntary Human Welfare organization in Bangladesh. It provides medical treatment for free to the poor and underprivileged in Bangladesh. The organization CRP is established through the endeavors and diligence of a British born woman called Valerie A. Taylor.

This British citizen is a Physiotherapist by profession. She has passed many days, months and years of her life helping and caring for the exploited and deprived of this country. Now and then she went back to London, collected financial aid, came back to Bangladesh and started to pursue the goal of her life, which is – “Human Welfare”.

The question remains, ‘how did she collect the financial aid to pursue her ventures in Bangladesh?’

The answer – She begged.

Though it would seem a bit weird but it is the truth. She used to wander around the streets and railway stations of London and beg to the people. She asked for five pounds from him, ten pounds from her. She saved these alms, which were in “Pound Sterling” and brought them back to Bangladesh. Here that currency was converted to Taka, which was then spent for the welfare of the people of Bangladesh. But now Valerie is subject of immorality of some influential people of Bangladesh who are trying to remove Valerie from CRP and enjoy the fruits of her industry.

 

1.

 

The world goes on in its own course. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. People also lead their lives in this world capitulating to the laws of nature and society. They perform their duties towards the society. But there are some that even abuse the responsibilities that are bestowed upon them. And the consequences of these abuses encumber on all the innocent people of the society. And thus the life goes on-

The veteran Freedom Fighters of the 1971 Liberation War – the Pakistani forces wounded and crippled them by the help of Nizami and some others. They had become handicapped. Bangladesh was a newborn nation, recently liberated from the shackles of oppression and coercion. It did not possess the effective and necessary infrastructure or the compulsory rehabilitative system and provisions.

 

It was during these hard times that a person came to Bangladesh from England. She was here once before in 1969. But she had to return to London during the Liberation War. However, she did not forget Bangladesh. To prove that she came back to this country in 1972 after the Liberation War.

 

She initiated to serve and care for all, from the handicapped Freedom Fighters to the innocent girl who is victim to the society’s repression and despotism. She did not do it for her own gain. She did not expect any profit for herself. She just did it for her own humane and philanthropist idealisms. “Human Welfare”, that is her axiom, that is her motto of life. It was the part and parcel of her life to serve and care for the poor and oppressed people of this country. That great human being, that great person is Valerie A. Taylor.

This British citizen is a Physiotherapist by profession. She has passed many days, months and years of her life helping and caring for the exploited and deprived of this country. Now and then she went back to London, collected financial aid, came back to Bangladesh and started to pursue the goal of her life, which is – “Human Welfare”.

The question remains, ‘how did she collect the financial aid to pursue her ventures in Bangladesh?’

The answer – She begged.

Though it would seem a bit weird but it is the truth. She used to wander around the streets and railway stations of London and beg to the people. She asked for five pounds from him, ten pounds from her. She saved these alms, which were in “Pound Sterling” and brought them back to Bangladesh. Here that currency was converted to Taka, which was then spent for the welfare of the people of Bangladesh.

Literally, she used to go from door to door of London to collect aid and go from door to door in Bangladesh to provide help and assistance.

In 1979, she thought about establishing an organization. But how could she establish an organization? She did not have the necessary capital and logistics.

But she converted her will to serve humanity as her capital and her confidence to pursue her goal of live as the logistics.

At first, she chose an abandoned stockroom of Sohrawardi Hospital as the office for her organization. The organization that was first incepted in this abandoned stockroom is now known as CRP.

Today, CRP stands on 14 acres of land in Savar in addition to a building situated in Mirpur of the capital. The area of its work and project is the entire Bangladesh. The engineer of this dream come true is Valerie A. Taylor, whose motto is to work for the welfare of humanity and not seek any personal gain in exchange for it.

 

2.

 

Today, she is impugned for her work and actions. Allegations of mismanagement have been brought against her. Today, she faces many questions and struggles to win over this predicament. But who is impugning her with all these allegations? One is a Retired Civil Employee and the other is a Retired Army personnel. To enjoy the remnants, “just like vultures” some others have allied with these two. The retired persons have alleged that Valerie A. Taylor does not understand the principles of management. They are saying that there are some unethical people who are exploiting these deficiencies of Valerie and are using it to create some unpleasant situations. Among these allegations, the charge of the corruption behind the establishment of the building in Mirpur has been focused the most intensely. Shafi Sami has said that the building of CRP in Mirpur has been built by the corruption and embezzlement of Taka 170 million. The corruption allegation of Taka 170 million! The allegation is certainly very intense and momentous. The establishment in Mirpur is worth 230 million taka. Of that amount Taka 170 million is allegedly brought under the question of corruption.

“Was it a matter of corruption of Taka 170 million?” When this question was presented in front of the present CEO of CRP Albert Molla, he said, ‘It is not the matter of corruption of 170 million taka, actually Valerie signed a bill voucher of 170 million taka on one particular day.’

After listening to this response, it was understood that Shafi Sami and Co. have modulated from their previous allegation and have modified it a bit.

But Valerie was removed from the post of ‘CRP Coordinator and Member of Trustee Board’ on the pretext of the same allegation that was made previously.

How was the building in Mirpur built? Is Valerie alone responsible for this situation or is someone else culpable for it?

After investigation it was found that a 14-member committee was responsible to look over the construction of this building. If really there was something erroneous or illicit involved in the matter then must not the 14-member committee be responsible for it? Should it not be them who must face the allegations? It seems logical, plain and simple to the normal sense, maybe it is not so when it comes to the senses of the retired personnel. Probably that is why it is seen that among the 14 members of the committee 13 have been promoted while the remaining one’s contract has not been renewed. But the person who is punished is Valerie A. Taylor who is the founder of this organization. For whose sole and individual will and endeavors the organization CRP came into being.

And who are they who have decided to punish her so?

Between the two retired personnel one is a Consultant and CEO of CRP, who enjoyed the posts for just a little while. Which means that his services towards CRP were in exchange for reimbursements. He has enjoyed a salary amounting up to 22 thousand pounds from the donors of CRP. Not only that, he has also enjoyed the comfort of a luxury car and some other facilities along with the salary. The person I am talking about is C. M. Shafi Sami.

Shafi Sami is known as a diplomat. His being adviser to the Caretaker Government and then resigning from the post had enhanced his deference to the people of this country. We always want to respect him. But what kind of actions are we observing on his part? Shafi Sami is saying that Valerie A. Taylor is not dishonest, and there is no question about her dedication even. Some deceitful people abused Valerie’s naiveté for their personal profit. This statement is undoubtedly very noble. We appreciate this statement. But his words and his actions are completely contradictory to each other? This gives a strong sense of paradox in his actions.

According to his own statements, the people who have abused the naiveté of Valerie have been promoted, whereas Valerie herself has been removed from her post. What kind of a management is this? What kind of an ethical judgment is that?

And who is this Albert Molla? Without a meeting among the Trustee Board how can you (Shafi Sami) just submit a letter written by hand and go on to become an Advisor while making Albert Molla the CEO of the organization? Whereas the founder of the organization Valerie Taylor knew nothing about it.

You established an organ-gram in the name of transparency and precision; appointed four Directors. As a consultant, your salary is a huge amount of 250 thousand taka. The salary of the Directors is 30 thousand taka each. And the person who is the founder of the organization, the person who is accumulating the financial aid, who is the Coordinator and the Member-Secretary of the Trustee Board; you fixed her salary to a meager amount of Tk. 7500/- (Seven Thousand Five Hundred Taka). The rank of the Coordinator is higher than the Directors in the chain of command. Then how can her salary be lower than the salary of the Directors? Mr. Shafi Sami, what kind of a management is that?

You probably have an excuse for this, which might be that Valerie does not want to take more reimbursements than that. She might have said that she does not need that amount, but others do. Your dear Albert Molla has himself said so. Albert Molla said, “Valerie is very dedicated. There cannot be any contrast or comparison between Valerie and us.”

It is true in all respects. Shafi Sami or Albert Molla and all the others are just employees of CRP who are working there in exchange of reimbursements.

 

3.

 

Every human being in this world has some weaknesses, may the person be good or bad. Valerie must have some too. Grameen Bank of Nobel Laureate Dr. Yunus, BRAC (World’d largest NGO) of Fazle Hasan Abed or Bishwa Shahitto Kendra (World Literature Center) of Abdullah Abu Sayeed – if we investigate properly then we are sure to find some flaws in these people or their organizations. Today’s BRAC has been established by going through many assessments, tests and trials. It has initiated numerous projects with the hope and vision of making a difference. But all of them may not have been successful. But does it mean that the dedication and actions of Fazle Hasan Abed can be impugned with allegations and questions. Does any high ranked official of BRAC will ever dare to do so; on the contrary should he/she do so?

Can a Trustee or Executive Director allege or should he allege that Abdullah Abu Sayeed’s management capabilities are not up to the mark. So he is not qualified enough to subsist as the Chairman of Bishwa Shahitto Kendra (World Literature Center).

No sane person will ever do or say such a thing. Let alone supporting or agreeing to the allegations. But Shafi Sami and some others are doing just that. And many decent and influencial people of our society are approving of the situation. Then again there are some who are petitioning on behalf of Shafi Sami. The mode of their petition and request is that no reports should be published in the media against Shafi Sami. But when these kinds of requests come to us, we become depressed not surprised. Then we have to believe the theory that – “Anyone sitting on a higher branch is a vulture, a scavenger who always attacks in a pack and looks for the remnants.” If it is not true, then why are we not taking a stand against this malice and injustice?

Respectable Journalist, A B M Musa, he took his ill wife to India for treatment. Another Political Journalist Nirmal Sen also went to India for treatment. They were sent back to CRP. Valerie’s CRP. The doctors of India said that why have you come here when there is CRP in Bangladesh. A B Musa’s wife is well today, and that is for CRP. Nirmal Sen is leading a healthy life – this was also possible for CRP.

CRP has contributed immensely to the society, to Bangladesh. The Artists, Journalists, Actors and Actresses, and many other celebrities as well as the common people know about CRP. They also know very well about the humane, kind and caring Valerie A. Taylor. But they are still silent and numb against this injustice. This also arouses a great deal of bewilderment.

 

4.

 

According to Shafi Sami, Valerie has established such a huge organization without having any management skills. She has assisted the poor to acquire medical treatment free of cost. CRP is well known and famous for its treatment standards both nationally and internationally. And Valerie has achieved all this without possessing the knowledge and skills of management! And what is the success rate of Shafi Sami and the others who have a sound knowledge about management? They have obstructed the poor from getting free treatment in CRP. The person who does not have money will not get any treatment in CRP. And it is the dream of Valerie, it is her aim in life to serve and care for the ones, who are deprived and underprivileged. Shafi Sami and Co. are crushing the dream of a person who still pursues her dream with all her dedication and strength she can muster up at her old age. Is this an exemplary model of management? If you people are so qualified, if you people possess so much knowledge and skills about management, then why are you playing around and trying to crush someone else’s dream? Why do not you yourselves establish a better and a bigger organization than this one?

We know that you will not do so. You lack the capability to do so. That is because you cannot sacrifice all that is necessary to do in order to establish such an organization. You cannot go all the way. You just do not have it in you. Somethings can be done without getting or taking anything in exchange for it, somethings can be done for the poor – there are only a handful of people in this world who possess these qualities, these perceptions. Valerie is one of those handful persons. Not you.

Mr. Shafi Sami, no matter how loudly you cry out that you have not taken any money from CRP, FCRP provided you with a huge amount as a salary. The truth is, if you had not taken the money then this amount of money would have come to CRP. Then this money would have been brought into some use for the needy and poor.

We should not overlook these facts.

 

5.

 

I was associated with Bishwa Shahitto Kendra (World Literature Center) for many years. I have had the privilege of observing very closely Abdullah Abu Sayeed, the visionary of an enlightened nation. I have been fortunate enough to work with him side by side. The building of Bishwa Shahitto Kendra (World Literature Center) is made of bricks, which have no emulsion upon them. We said to Abdullah Abu Sayeed that why do not we paint the bricks rather than keeping them exposed and bare like this. He responded, “The bricks are of color red, the color of our blood is red. It resembles that the bricks were soaked in our blood and then they were used to establish this organization. Our (He never uses the word ‘Mine’ or ‘Me’) endeavors, sacrifices, sufferings, pains and afflictions all these together have taken the form of the bricks. I do not want to cover it with any other color….”

I know about the inception and birth of Bishwa Shahitto Kendra (World Literature Center) from the accounts heard from Abdullah Abu Sayeed and his writings. I do not know about the initiation and history of CRP that well. But I know that Valerie A. Taylor is unified even with the single speck of dust, all the veins and stratums of all the plants and trees that sprout in CRP. Every single brick used in the establishment of CRP knows about the hardships of Valerie’s life and about her devotion to human welfare. They are silent, can’t speak out, that’s why they cannot oppose this injustice. But they certainly can curse Shafi Sami and Co.

 

6.