By day, he tinkers with complex systems that keep your calls connected, but by night he is all about the arts, so much so that Mohammad Kamruzzaman has earned one of the highest honours in the country.
The Pakenham local has received a Medal of the Order of Australia for his contribution to the arts and the Bengali community.
Balancing a career in complex telecommunications infrastructure with a deep love of the arts, Mr Kamruzzaman is a unique character. A field engineer for TPG, he goes home to read Bertolt Brecht.
“I thank the government for recognising my activities. But I do it for my own pleasure,” he said.
“If people get pleasure out of it, if I can help someone because of this activity, I feel good.
“With or without any reward, I will continue my work.”
Mr Kamruzzaman is a founding member of the Renaissance Drama Society, Melbourne, which has become a touchstone for the performing arts in the local Bangladeshi community and beyond.
He also co-founded Melbourne’s Bengali Literary Society and served as an editor of the Shekor magazine.
He was part of the founding of the Bangladesh Disaster Relief Fund, Melbourne, in 2006, which continues to provide relief to families affected by bushfires and other disasters.
His passion for the arts began as a boy, when he would pore over books and plays, both classic and contemporary.
He continues to serve as the artistic director for the drama society, where he has directed many productions, from Molière to Brecht.
“From my childhood I was fond of creative arts. Sometimes acting, sometimes writing, sometimes debating in school, childhood things. So I took it as second nature.”
For Mr Kamruzzaman, the arts are not just an avenue for expression, but a way for people to make sense of a chaotic world.
Rather than the narrow mindedness of everyday life, the arts tend toward universality, something Mr Kamruzzaman actively nurtures.
“I take pride in meeting people, knowing them, their culture, their religion, their clan, anyone, any people.
“It’s a lifelong journey, being connected with people through creative work, raising people’s cultural awareness through creative activities, sometimes theatre, sometimes other forms, sometimes writing.”
A common feature of the society’s performances are the plays of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, which explore the unique class systems of the Indian subcontinent that persist today.
Having moved from Rowville 18 months ago, he still feels new to the Pakenham area as he approaches retirement age.
However, he is excited to expand his community work in the local area, in the creative arts and beyond.
