The first time I met Khorshed, who woud be my guide to all kind of stakeholders in the Bangladeshi garment industry, he took me quite by surprise. We sat talking and - he- smoking, and I was all the time wondering what kind of program he would have arranged for that day and the days to follow. None, it turned out. He guessed I would be tired and jet-lagged after a long flight, so he just came to pay me a visit to welcome me and make me feel at home. That was typical of Khorshed, as I learned later on. Always putting the personal and human dimension first. And he did not need planning; he had his mobile phone and could call almost everyone to arrange a meeting any time. This was one of the most amazing aspects of his personality: how he could move through all layers of society and connect with all kind of stakeholders in the highly politicised world of the garment industry in Bangladesh; never forgetting that it al came down to what we could do to improve the situation of the garment workers.
With that same ease he moved through town when Dhaka was once again struck by a hartal and all meetings had to be cancelled because no-one deared to go outside. By using 4 or 5 riksja rides, he came all the way to my hotel, just to spend some time with me (utterly bored staying in the hotel for days on end).
He will be missed by many, many people. I will miss him.
Sjef Stoop, FWF verification officer for Bangladesh 2002-2007.