Father's legacy to tragic Jamil

A FATHER'S wish to create a legacy for his ten-year-old son who died while on a family holiday has seen the creation of a new restaurant in his memory.

Soon after learning of the death of his eldest son Jamil, Ipswich restaurateur Malik Rahman vowed to create a business which would raise money for the organisations which helped his son during his short life.

Today Mr Malik is overseeing a refurbishment of Jamil's Koh-i-Noor - meaning Jamil's diamond - which was formerly the Baburchi in Crown Street, Ipswich.

The restaurant is on track to be opened in about five weeks and Mr Malik said: “I've always wanted to do something for Jamil.”

Jamil, a popular student at Sidegate Primary School, died just 30 minutes before the Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight he was on was due to land in Dubai.

He had been travelling with his mother Ruhela Begum, his brother Jabir, eight, and his 18-month-old sister Summayyah and had reported feeling unwell on the flight.

The family were on their way to see relatives in Bangladesh.

Jamil's death in April was listed as natural causes and was linked to problems he had from birth, which led to a shunt being fitted in his head after he was born with fluid on the brain.

The tragedy sent shockwaves through the Muslim community and saddened his entire school community because in the last five years of his life Jamil's condition had improved markedly and he had been enjoying a happy childhood.

Recently Sidegate Primary School held a ceremony to remember him and there is a special area in the playground dedicated to him.

Students also created a memory book for his parents explaining how much fun they had with Jamil and how much they missed him.

Today Mr Malik, who has previously worked as a chef at the family restaurant the Koh-i-Noor in Upper Brook Street, said he planned to use the new restaurant to raise money for Ipswich Hospital and Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, which both cared for Jamil.

He said: “I want my son's name and his memory to be remembered forever.

“The first week's takings after expenses will go to Ipswich's newborn baby unit and Addenbrooke's as my special thanks to the doctors and nurses who looked after him.”

Has your family found a special way to remember a loved one? What do you think? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.

HIS death shocked the town.

And messages of sympathy for Jamil's family flooded in to The Evening Star at the time of his death.

Staff at Jamil's school, Sidegate Primary, were among those who paid tribute to the eight year old.

Speaking at the time of Jamil's funeral on Friday, April 20, a school spokesman said his death had a huge impact on his fellow pupils. He described Jamil's life as 'short but shining'.

They said: “Everybody misses Jamil and our thoughts are with his family. Most of the children have coped fairly well, but clearly it is a very emotional time.”

Jamil's father, Malik Rahman, 30, a chef at the Koh-i-Noor restaurant in Upper Brook Street was left inconsolable after the death of his eldest son.

At the time of Jamil's death, he said: “I don't know how I'm going to have a normal life again.”

Pam and Shelly Littlejohn, who knew Jamil from the waterfront community centre in Grimwade Street, Ipswich, said: “He was such a happy, caring, friendly little boy, who we will miss so very much.”

An old teacher of Jamil's, Debbie Broughton, described him as “a little ray of sunshine”.

She said: “He was lovely, he was a happy cheeky little chap. As soon as there was a question asked he was up on his feet and at the front of the class answering questions.

“He was always popular, the children knew he was a special little boy.”