Haji Bashir Mohammed Deen

"Mr Bashir Deen was loved by and known to many. He was a man of great calibre, an honest, humble, kind-hearted and generous man."

- Jainul Nisha, Bashir's loving wife

Haji Bashir Mohammed Deen was born in Mehro, India on the 1st of October 1935.

As a twelve-year-old boy, Bashir witnessed firsthand the horrors of humanity. Due to the 1947 war between Pakistan and India, he was witness to much bloodshed, cruelty and fear and was forced to become a man, having his childhood stolen from him.

Bashir's Grandfather, Mr Fazal Deen, who resided at Mt Joy Terrace, Wynnum, Queensland, Australia, was in India on holidays at the time and managed to escape with most of his family members to Pakistan.

In 1948, Fazal arrived back to Australia, landing at Archerfield airport with his first grandchild, twelve-year-old Bashir. They were greeted by other family members, including Bashir's father and an entourage of Rolls Royce cars.

Growing up, Bashir attended school at Wynnum and New Farm State Schools. After graduating, Bashir worked at the family businesses alongside his father, uncles and cousins. His cousins, Sidiq and Ali Deen, were not just his cousins, but his brothers and best friends. They were known to be the "Three Musketeers", and together they worked hard as a team within the family business.

In 1962, Bashir's grandfather arranged his grandson's marriage to Jainul Nisha from Fiji. Fazal flew to Fiji with his grandson and the bride's cousin to have Bashir married.

Two weeks after the marriage, Fazal, Bashir and his new bride Jainul Nisha arrived back to Sydney, Australia. Fazal was a well-known businessman, having once owned a gold mine in Tennant Creek, guest houses, hotels and holiday flats all over Brisbane and the Gold Coast, so all three of them were greeted by media and TV cameras. The next morning, they were in the Sun newspapers.

Bashir later became a transport operator and had several other businesses. At one time, he was employed by the Commonwealth Government Australia-wide.

Due to illness, Bashir had to retire, and his son later took over the family business, Australia Wide Removals.

Bashir was the seventh generation of his family to live in Australia and resided in the Wynnum area for the last 71 years.

On the 31st of May 2019, Bashir sadly passed away after suffering many years of lung-related problems caused by severe asthma and pneumonia.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, his son and daughter-in-law, his daughter and son-in-law, seven grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.

Mr Bashir Deen was loved by and known to many. He was a man of great calibre, an honest, humble, kind-hearted and generous man. He will surely be missed by all.

Indeed, to God we belong and to God we shall return.