Andrew Charlton (Parramatta, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

CHARLTON () (): I rise to pay tribute to Mr Ranesh Maitra, who recently passed away at the age of 89. Ranesh is remembered as a lifelong warrior for social justice, a veteran of the Bangladesh language movement and a father who instilled in his children a sense of purpose in their political activism. Driven by his belief in a social justice, self-determination and civil rights, Ranesh was an unstoppable force right from his youth.

As a student, Ranesh helped found the East Pakistan Students Union, a leading, progressive student organisation with over 10,000 members united in the fight for student and youth rights. Ranesh quickly rose through its ranks, becoming the vice-president of its first committee and laying the groundwork for the organisation's modern-day success. Thus began a long career as a political activist.

In the decades that followed, Ranesh held several senior political offices as part of his mission to bring justice for people in the face of oppression and persecution. For his work, Ranesh would often be the target of oppression himself. He spent much of his life in Pakistan as a political prisoner. In fact, he spent a staggering 14 years in total as a prisoner for his activism. But, even while in prison, Ranesh refused to be silenced. From his cell, he continued to advocate for the freedom of others. He studied law and learned to write powerful messages to help realise his dream of a Bangladesh where all people, irrespective of their creed and caste, would be treated equally.

His dedication to this cause even impressed his cellmates, one of whom was Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father of Bangladesh. In his memoirs, Rahman wrote of Ranesh's passion and idealism, recognising Ranesh's place in the founding story of the Bangladeshi nation. His idealism, his drive and his talent were a potent combination that served him well as an activist and as a journalist. Throughout his life, Ranesh combined his political goals with his interest in journalism, becoming a prolific writer by the early 1950s, even serving as the former Pabna district correspondent of the Daily Star newspaper.

By the end of his life, Ranesh had authored over a dozen books and was recognised in 2018 with the second highest civilian award in Bangladesh, the Ekushey Padak. Today, his writings are recognised as valuable contributions to the history of Bangladesh's politics and are an essential guide to any curious reader interested in the fight for civil rights in Bangladesh.

Ranesh's love for the written word translated to his activism in the field. A proud Bengali, Ranesh was captured by the ideals of the Bengali language movement, sparked by a desire for the then nation of East Pakistan to have Bengali as its official language. He was so inspired that he established the local Pabna district language movement in 1952, an achievement which earned him recognition as one of the heroes of the Bengali language movement.

Ranesh is survived by his wife, Gita Talukdar, and his four children. I'm incredibly fortunate to have his eldest son, Prabir, live in my electorate of Parramatta. Like his father, Prabir is also a pioneer in political activism. Elected in 2008, he broke barriers by being the first subcontinent-born councillor on Parramatta City Council. Prabir is also a passionate champion for social justice. A secretary of the Westmead Labor branch, Prabir is known for his ability to give a voice to those less fortunate and bring people together. He holds an annual Christmas party at his home, where he and his wife, Apana, welcome people of all backgrounds, irrespective of their creed or caste, to celebrate and connect with one another. The strength of this community speaks volumes about his dedication to serving others.

It's my honour to pay tribute to a lifelong warrior for social justice, a veteran of the Bangladeshi language movement, a father who instilled in his children a sense of purpose in their political activism. Ranesh Maitra showed us that true leadership is defined by dedication to your community. Thank you for all that you've taught us.

House adjourned at 20:00