Over 40 years of social and welfare work for the Bangladeshi community has made him a humble and wise man.
As he retires and leaves Qatar for good, he eyes writing a book on social works.
Muhammad Abdus Sattar, who landed in Doha in 1978, leaves his second home with a heavy heart. “It is like leaving your beloved family and your home after over 40 years”, he tells Community.
Sattar had a government job in Bangladesh when he decided to come to Qatar.
“One fine day, my father told me that he has arranged a visa and I am going to Qatar. My first job was in the field of sales and marketing. I have worked with different organisations. As I leave after 40 years, I have no regrets in my life. My only daughter is getting university education in accounting.”
An ardent and committed social worker, Sattar started taking part in different activities for the welfare of his compatriots. “I was the founder-president of Durbar Juboshanga. I also served as the president of Bangladesh Education Society, Sports Wing. I joined the Jalalabad Association of Bangladesh (JAB) as the vice president in 1998. I served JAB as the president for six years. I am the outgoing president of the association. JAB was established in Dhaka in 1948 and it was started in Doha in 1984.”
The committed worker has been taking part in various social welfare activities such as providing financial support to the deserving and poor students, arranging medicines for low-income patients besides providing clothes and food for those who cannot afford them at a certain point in time.
“Most of the social welfare activities I have carried as being a part of the JAB. The reason is that we have a large number of Bangladeshi expatriates as member of the organisation. Besides arranging financial and logistical supports to the needy expatriates, we have regularly been organising events to express solidarity with Qatar celebrating different achievements of the country.
“The main service we used to offer from the platform of the JAB was to provide financial support to transport the dead bodies of Bangladeshi expatriates back to their native places. We have also been organising different cultural activities as well for the expatriates where we invite Bangladeshi artistes based in Qatar.”
The unassuming community worker has inculcated discipline and value of co-ordination while working with different social welfare organisations.
“The most important thing that I have learnt through my community work in all these years is how to respect your elders or seniors and how to take care of the youngsters. That is why I always have cordial relationship with every ambassador of Bangladesh to Qatar. I enjoy working with Ashud Ahmed, the current Bangladesh ambassador. He has been very friendly and co-operative when it comes to community service. He extends very useful pieces of advice to different community organisations.”
He added: “I have just been trying to help the Bangladeshi expatriates. I love doing something myself instead of telling others to do it. I have been providing financial support to a school for girls in Bangladesh.”
The unassuming man is all praise for Qatar. “I have found the Qatari people very friendly and co-operative. I also owe a lot to the country that has given me so much. I will carry very sweet and lovely memories of Qatar.”
Sattar tells his fellow countrymen in Qatar that their good character can build good reputation for their country.
“As we live in Qatar, we need follow the rule and regulations of the country. As an expatriate community, we need to develop strong bonds with the local people and within ourselves. I always advise the young Bangladeshis that we should expect nothing from a social welfare organisation. We should rather give our time and services to the community organisations to help others. We need to contribute financially as well.”
Sattar, on the other hand, stresses that he is not going to sit idle in Bangladesh. “I just want to enjoy the retirement life. However, I have plans to write a book on social welfare works.
“I am definitely going to miss my family – the Bangladesh expatriate community in Qatar. I will miss my Qatari friends. I leave the country with a heavy heart. It is very painful to part with the beloved country and colleagues.”
Muhammad Abdus Sattar
