MONAKKA BEGUM

My mother, Monakka Begum, was born on November 5th, 1933. At the very young age of 12, she was married to my father, the late Kazi Hedayet Hossain. My father was a former MP and passed away on August 18, 1975 when he was only 48 years old, leaving behind 11 children—7 sons and 4 daughters. At the time, my mother was only 42 years old. She worked very hard to raise us. During my childhood, I never saw my mother resting during the day. She used to cook and do house chores all day. She used to love treating people and made sure we were always fed during our school hours. I remember when I was in college she used to send fresh cooked food for me and my friends so that we could eat during our exam days.

 

My mother was a very hard-working lady, dedicating her life to her 11 children, and taking care of my grandmother (my father’s mother, Mrs. Amirunnesa). She did not look after her own health, always worrying about whether her children were fed and safe.

 

She loved gardening and grew a variety of flowers, fruits, and Mahogany trees, such as roses and other flowers, mango, jackfruit, guava, cinnamon, orange and many other fruit trees. I have memories of when we were young. During hot summer days, she used to cut many mangoes in a big bowl, surrounded by all her children, and we used to eat mango chantey while seated beside her. That is one of my happy memories of my mother. She also used to love eating together with all her children at a dining table.

 

My mother’s unconditional love for all her children is a great example for all of us and for her extended family. She was also a great leader who did much volunteer work for the community. When she passed away on Tuesday, June 12, 2012, at the age of 79, more than 15,000 people came to see her for the last time and offer their sincere condolences. My mother was a very kind-hearted person who cared for people so much and always tried to help people who needed it. She touched so many people’s hearts. She is remembered as an extraordinary lady who is a great example for all our brothers and sisters and for our community.

 

We miss and love you very much, Ma, with all our hearts.  We hope we could follow in your footsteps and become great leaders like you were—selfless, kind-hearted, loving, caring, and with an ability to touch so many people’s hearts.

 

I would like to think that Alvie and my mother, Monakka Begum, are together resting in peace in heaven. Allah knows the best, why both of them died in the same month (June), on the same day (Tuesday), and within 2 years of each other. May Allah bless our father, grandparents, and our beloved son Alvie, and grant them best Jannatul Ferdouse, and May Allah bless our mother and grant her best Jannatul Ferdouse in heaven.

 

We love you and miss you very much, Ma, and insha Allah I will see you and Alvie soon in heaven, with the mercy of Allah.

In Memory of Monakka Begum

ALVIE KHANDAKER

APRIL 13, 1993 – JUNE 15, 2010

 

We love you Very much and we miss you Very much, our heavenly baby Alvie!

With the blessing of Allah, Alvie was born on April 13, 1993 at Scarborough Grace Hospital in Toronto, the son of Dalim Khandaker (Father) and Rumana Khandaker (Mother) and one brother Tanveer Khandaker. Alvie’s late grandparents from father’s side are late Abdul Mannaf Khandaker (grandfather) and late Anawara Begum (grandmother); from mother’s side grandfather is late Kazi Hedayet Hossain and grandmother is late Monakka Begum (Nanu vai) of Bangladesh; lots of relative’s aunts, uncles, cousins in Canada and in Bangladesh; teachers, co-workers and countless friends in Canada.

He was a bundle of joy to us, Tanveer was very happy to see his little brother as they were only 13 months 3 weeks a part. I have so many memories to share about Alvie, I used to sing bed time song every night with Alvie, “Hajar Tarar Aloy Vora, Chokher tara Tui, Sopno diye sajai toke, kanna diye due” while I was singing he used to hold me and hug me so tight with his hands and feet as a baby and suck his thumb, I can still feel his hug when I close my eyes, but I cannot see him, touch him, hug or kiss him, because he is with Allah now. To write something about Alvie is very difficult for me as my eyes are filling up with tears. From the childhood Alvie was an extraordinary kid, very caring, humble, very helpful with housework, always used to ask, Ammu do you need help, can I do this, without asking him he was always so prompt and eger to help us all the time. One day we were sleeping I heard some noises downstairs and after an hour or so we saw Tanveer, Alvie came to our room with breakfast- pancake, scramble egg and juice, they were only 7/8 years old. I came downstairs in the kitchen and saw flour was all over the kitchen countertop, so thoughtful, loving and caring to make us breakfast in bed.

When I was very young my father passed away and I used to cry always missing him. After having Tanveer and Alvie in my life I was so happy and blessed that I can call them abbu. Alvie was a blessed child, every birthday, mother’s day/father’s day he used to get the best card for me with so meaningful writing, expressing how he feels about me as a mother and how much he loves me and gifts he used to buy and hide, now all those cards we can read and all his gifts we treasure but cannot say thank you to Alvie, hug or kiss him anymore for all his thoughtfulness, love and care he gave us.

I have so many happy moments to share about Alvie, when they were almost 3/2 years old (Tanveer/Alvie), one day I thought they were sleeping and I went to check on them and saw both of them took a doll, a bubble bath bottle and poured on the doll, all over them and the crib, they were giving a shampoo bath to the doll. I was laughing so much, seeing both of them enjoying so much. Another day, came from work, just left them both for few minutes downstairs to change and when I came down saw both sliding in the kitchen floor, they took oil from the kitchen cabinet, poured on the floor and sliding from one side to the other, they were having good time together. I cherish all these memories from their childhood, Tanveer and Alvie were like twins due to the age gap, it’s very difficult for Tanveer without his little brother. I really miss those happy days, miss by baby Alvie, life went completely up-side down without you, home and our life are so empty without you. I am only counting my days now until I see you again insha Allah.

Alvie was an Honour Role student all along from JK until Gr 11; a very intelligent, caring and kindhearted with a nice smile and positive attitude handsome boy; he enjoyed math and science; he used to love drawing cartoons and other arts and drama. He enjoyed playing recorder, trumpet and keyboard. Alvie went to Mumba Basketball House League of Markham, ON, since Gr 5, he was a very good basketball player like his brother Tanveer and later he became All-Star Mumba basketball player when he was in high school. Alvie was a great break dancer, key board player and very nice voice, used to sing sometimes. Alvie used to play with University of Toronto basketball team as offered by Mumba. He also liked to play Badminton, Volleyball and Football as well.

With the mercy and Blessing of Almighty Allah (God) he accomplished so many things in his life even people cannot accomplish in their 80’s and 90’s, Alvie is the first one in the family who became Life Guard and Swimming Instructor when he was only 16 years old and was working as a part time employee for Town of Markham. Alive and Tanveer have completed reading Holy book Qur’ann. We went to Omrah Hajj in July 2009 and from Omrah (Makka/Madina) trip including Bangladesh trip and he really enjoyed seeing his grandmother. My mother was alive that time and other relatives in Bangladesh. With the blessing of Allah Alvie performed 3 Omrah Hajj and the last Omrah he did with me. During the last Omrah while running seven times Safa/Marwa Alvie was keep on getting jam jam water for me to ensure I was ok and hydrated because it was so hot in July. I was a little sick during that time, I was lying down and did not have any food; Alvie asked me how I am doing, and he said he will not eat until I eat, I was just looking at Alvie that Allah gave me a blessed child with so much kindness in his heart.

Alvie always demonstrated excellent qualities of work for whatever he did whether his schoolwork, as a Lifeguard, as a Basketball player or even to help his parents and brother at home, he was a great helper and very caring person. Also, he was a volunteer employee at Markham Stouveville Hospital in Patient Recovery unit. He wanted to work in the hospital which he thought would be helpful for him when he became Doctor. Alvie wanted to go to MacMaster University in Health Science program and become a Doctor (Anesthesiologist) so that he could help people. He wanted to get married when he would be 27 and would have three children with a big bed where everybody could fit. So much dream Alvie had and we had about Alvie.

Alvie’s favorite food – Sushi, Dal, vaat and boroy achar, porata, aloo vaji, favorite color- red, favorite song-Dynamite, favorite sports-basketball. Sometimes I drive around in his school courtyard where he used to play basketball and I can hear the basketball sound and see him playing but when I go more closer, he is not there, it’s all in my imagination now only. Alvie used to bake very nice cup cake for all Mother’s Day, he was a good baker. During the month of Ramadan Alvie used to fast and always used to come home from his afternoon basketball play on time to join us for Iftar, it was his happy moment to have meal together with his family.

Alvie passed away when he just turned only 17 accidentally on Tuesday, June 15, 2010 at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, Ontario. We really miss you Alvie baby, and our life is not the same anymore without you because you are our heavenly baby Alvie and you are and always will be in our heart. We pray to God that He Bless you with the best Heaven and we will meet you again inshaAllah in Heaven with the Mercy of Allah, Amen. We are so Blessed and thankful to God for having two beautiful Angels in our life -Tanveer and Alvie, thank you Allah for everything. May Allah Bless Tanveer with long life and happiness. Because of his kind-hearted personality, he touched so many peoples heart, everybody loves him, and, in his funeral, more than 2,000 people came from all over Canada and USA, Alvie’s fellow students, teachers, neighbors, colleagues, families and friends. We are so grateful to everybody for the kind supports in this difficult time of our life and May God Bless us all. As everybody says, “The good die in young because God likes to keep them closer to Him”. Please keep Alvie and his family in your prayers. May Allah (God) Bless us all and Bless Alvie’s soul and he rest in peace in Heaven, Amen. We belong to God and to God we return. Alvie, we love you Very much and we miss you Very much, our heavenly baby Alvie!

 

Alvie,  your father wrote you on your 26th Birthday on April 13, 2019 a Birthday wish:

“Happy Birthday my dear son Alvie! Our celebration is in our heart as we had detached from your physical presence almost 9 years ago.  You would have attained 26 years of age on April 13. Your inspiration is continuing to play a major role with Tanveer, Ammu and I. Your 26 sisters at Monakka Alvie Girls Orphanage are continuing to progress well in your memories into its 4 years of operation. Ammu, has completed her H.B. Com degree and got accepted in MBA program and she is continuing to work hard to complete her last four courses for her CPA exam. Tanveer is continuing to progress well in his health and fitness career. I am continuing to support this family with best of my ability. All though everything going in order it seems, your physical presence is felt missing at all time, and your beautiful smile are only can be felt in our heart.” 

Let me express my inner feeling with a poem I found that describes my emotion for you Alvie:

“If I could have one wish in life,

That wish would have to be

That God would take away my pain

And send you back to me.

 

Your birthday’s here today, my son,

And I just wanted you to know

How much I deeply love you

And that I miss you so.

On days like this we should celebrate,

But for me that now proves hard,

For unlike another father, I cannot send

A simple birthday card.

 

No kisses can I give you

Or birthday gifts to buy,

Only flowers I now can give you,

Which I place down where you lie.

 

Two other things I send you

Are my thoughts and all my love,

So, hold them close and keep them safe

In Heaven up above.

 

And please wait for me, my darling son

Until my days are through,

And then I’ll come and spend all time

In Heaven just with you.

 

On your birthday in heaven

in His Holy embrace –

What I wouldn’t give

to see your dear face.

In hearts and in minds

your memories we treasure –

But missed beyond words

and loved beyond measure”

 

Happy Birthday in Heaven my dear son!

 

Love Always,

Abbu, Ammu, Tanveer

 In memory of Alvie Khandaker (Link and pictures)

 

 

Alvie’s Voice Mail:

 

Tribute to Alvie by St. Michael Hospital Foundations:

https://alviekhandaker.wordpress.com/

 

Tribute to Alvie by Sick Kids Hospital:

http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=1037273

 

Tribute to Alvie by Tanveer Khandaker (Alvie’s brother) dedicated songs written and sung by Tanveer over 200 songs:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Tanveer+khandaker

Tribute to Alvie by Family:

Tribute to Alvie by Friends:

R.I.P Alvie

Tribute to Alvie by Operation Groundswell-Kenya Project (Muneeb Chowdhury & Team)