I was in deep sleep in the middle of the night, when the call came with the shocking news of my dear friend Arefin's passing away. A few days earlier I had heard Arefin fell ill while trying to draw some money at an ATM booth at Dhaka Club. He was immediately rushed to the ICU at BIRDEM.

His only daughter Propa reached out to me in Singapore and asked if I could help contact some hospitals to see if they would be able to treat her father. She shared the case report and I consulted NUH (National University Hospital), Neurosurgery department. Propa at my request shared Arefin's ongoing prescriptions. Doctors at NUH were concerned whether the patient could travel from Dhaka due to his existing health condition.

I got the following text from Propa the following day: "Thank you so much, Enayet uncle. This means a lot. Unfortunately, after hearing back from multiple international hospitals that I had reached out to, it seemed there really wasn't much hope. I think deep down, we knew this, but we just needed to make sure we explored every possible option for our own peace of mind and to know that we did everything we could for him."

The situation was unfolding very fast, I could feel that.

My memories with Arefin had been flooding me ever since I heard he was admitted to BIRDEM. We were class friends at Dhaka University's Department of Mass Communication and Journalism (MCJ). We obtained our Master' degrees together and joined as lecturers at the MCJ department at Dhaka University on the same day in 1980. We were also born just one day apart - Arefin on 26 October 1953, me a day later.

I left teaching to start Dhaka Courier, the weekly magazine and subsequently founded United News of Bangladesh (UNB), the news agency. Arefin was very helpful in building a bridge between the MCJ department of Dhaka University and our two institutions Dhaka Courier and UNB.

Many students continue to join our staff as interns or cubs while still completing their studies. Apart from the graduates who join the reporting staff.

Later I spent some time as a part-time teacher and often was assigned the duty to be an external examiner. I always found it a breath of fresh air, whenever I had the chance to share notes, a conversation, or meetings, with Arefin.

I spent much of my formative years on the Dhaka University campus, as my father, following voluntary retirement from Pakistan Govt. service in Karachi as Chief of the Education Planning Commission, took up the job of Controller of Examinations at Dhaka University.

I used to visit the residence of the vice chancellor of Dhaka University along with my parents when Dr M.O. Ghani was the vice chancellor in the 60s. My visit to the same residence took place in 2010 almost 50 years later when Arefin took over as the vice chancellor. I remember how affectionately Arefin and his lovely wife received me. I went around the spacious lawn and the beautiful heritage building on Fuller Road, before rounding up the visit with the customary nice conversation and dinner.

After Arefin retired as vice chancellor, I met him a few times when he was chairman of our National Museum. His last visit to UNB was as our guest of honour during our annual District Correspondents' Conference.

I consider it my good fortune to have known Arefin as a dear and trusted friend. We shared many moments of joy and pain. I will always remember his ready, soothing smile.

I bid you goodbye my friend, remembering your smiling face. Stay well till then, to borrow a phrase from another dear friend Afsan Chowdhury, we will meet again in Celestial space.

Enayetullah Khan, Editor-in-Chief United News of Bangladesh (UNB) and Dhaka Courier.