'Master' Mohobbot Mostofa: A life dedicated to fountain pens 

If there is one witness to the rise and fall of fountain pens in Bangladesh, it is Mostofa Kamal Pasha, alternatively known as Mohobbot Mostofa among fountain pen enthusiasts. 

He is a fountain pen repairer by profession, having nearly a 40-year-long association with it, although he has at times ventured into other professions. Having witnessed the golden age of fountain pens, it remains his steadfast companion even in its decline. 

In an era when fountain pens are forgotten by the new generation, Mostofa clings to their legacy, as he sits in a small store in the Baitul Mukarram Mosque Market in Dhaka. 

For many fountain pen collectors, he is the 'Master of Fountain Pens.'

Four decades in the making 

Mostofa was born in Munshiganj. The eldest of the siblings, he had to shoulder the responsibility of the family from a young age. He started his career in the Ansar Force in 1982. But he could not find the meaning of life amongst weapons and quit the job.

By that time, the Baitul Mukarram Mosque Market already housed several pen stores, one of which belonged to Mostofa's cousin. In 1985, he initially took on the role of a salesman at the store and thus began his long journey with fountain pens.

He was a quick learner, and it took him only six months to get a good grip on all things fountain pens. Initially, his sole job was repairing the pens. However, a pivotal moment arrived when the store owner unexpectedly chose to discontinue the pen business. Undeterred, Mostafa decided to take matters into his own hands.

He started a business by borrowing Tk4,000 from his uncle. But in the beginning, the venture turned out to be rather slow. In the face of obstacles from the police and market authorities, he had to close the shop several times. 

Because of such obstacles, sometimes he worked in an engineering workshop, sometimes as a hawker. But in the midst of all this, he came back to fountain pens again and again. The last time he returned to the market was in 2006. 

Inspired by a friend, he started doing the business of fountain pens yet again. But by that point, the market for fountain pens had significantly diminished. So, this time around, he also began offering mobile and computer servicing. 

However, he could not benefit from this new venture, as his servicing store was the sole one in the entire market. Consequently, he found himself borrowing money from others to meet the store's rent. 

In 2019, he decided to permanently cease mobile and computer servicing, returning exclusively to fountain pens. 

Mostofa recounted the story of his renewed journey with fountain pens. "There was a man in this market named Rahim Patwari who used to operate a pen business. However, he had decided to exit the trade. Consequently, he advised me to acquire his inventory," he said. 

However, Mostofa had limited capital at his disposal. Therefore, he opted to purchase Rahim's showcase through a monthly instalment plan of Tk2,000. "And in this manner, I made a new start to my pen business in 2019."

A new-found popularity 

A large number of fountain pen collectors in Bangladesh were already aware of the Baitul Mukarram Mosque Market and Mostofa. However, since the fresh 2019 beginning, Mostofa has been taking the assistance of social media. Particularly post-Covid, online activities made him more popular than ever. 

There are several other Facebook groups as well which are helping to spread the popularity of fountain pens among the youth. "There are many school, college and university-going students, who have developed an interest in fountain pens by listening to the praise of them from their parents and seniors," Mostofa said, hoping that this interest will result in further appreciation of fountain pens in the future. 

Additionally, when stories about fountain pens were featured in prominent media outlets such as The Daily Star and Prothom Alo, there was a noticeable surge in public interest. "Those reports helped people learn that fountain pens still exist," Mostofa remarked. 

Rubel Hossain is one of the leading fountain pen collectors in Bangladesh. Through a Facebook page named 'Akaru,' he also sells them.  He became acquainted with Mostofa thanks to his frequent visits to the Baitul Mukarram Mosque Market. 

"Actually we don't need to say much about Mostofa bhai. He has learnt a lot about fountain pens over the years. He has no alternatives. We all trust him," said Rubel, who remains impressed with Mostofa's expertise as a fountain pen repairman. 

Services Mostofa offer 

Regarding the services he provides for fountain pens, Mostofa mentioned that the majority of the servicing work is relatively straightforward, often requiring just a few adjustments to fix pens. 

However, he encounters challenges at times, particularly when dealing with extensively damaged pens. Despite this, he asserted his capability to address nearly all pen-related issues, including repairing broken nibs and attaching various components.

How skilled is Mostofa as a repairman? We asked this question to J J Palash, a fountain pen collector and assistant director of Bangladesh Bank. In response, he said, "In a word, he is just the master of the fountain pen."  

Apart from repairing fountain pens, Mostofa sells pens and ink from his store's collection to those interested. He occasionally posts a picture of the pen on his Facebook page, and if someone likes it, they can collect it from the store. And if they want, Mostofa can also send it through courier service. He also sells ball pens, marker pens and coloured pens.

He acknowledges the decline of fountain pens and believes there are several reasons behind that. "First of all, writing with a fountain pen is as much a pleasure as it is a trouble. There is no fountain-friendly paper. Also, sometimes the ink leaks and stains the clothes. So one needs to put up a lot of effort in its maintenance."

A humble life

Although pen repairing is Mustafa's main occupation, he does not charge any unreasonable amount in return for the work. He claims that he only takes the service charge in proportion to his hard work. 

"I take almost no money from my customers who often buy pens from me. Because as I said, most work is merely trivial. When you aren't doing much, how can you take Tk500 in return? Still, many customers force me to take money," Mostofa revealed. 

Mustafa leads a relatively simple life as well. "I don't like a flamboyant lifestyle. I want to remain simple and act per my conscience. I am constantly mindful of whether I am cheating anyone, or someone is being harmed by me." 

He also added that he never experienced a prosperous period in his business life as he never had sufficient capital required for a pen business. "I never had a substantial income. I tried to manage with whatever little I earned. Nevertheless, I was always immersed in debt." 

Those who have availed services from him also speak highly of Mostofa. "I did not personally use his services," said collector Maher Mohammad Mozammel. "But some of my close associates did and they all mentioned that he is undoubtedly a magician."

At the end of the day, such appreciation is what really matters to Mostofa. With a family consisting of his wife, three daughters and a son, this is how he envisions spending the remainder of his life.