Published : 06 Nov 2026, 11:48 PM
Updated : 07 Nov 2026, 12:13 AM
Toufique Imrose Khalidi was known as a “mischievous, restless and brave” person to his friends, seniors and juniors, but remained steadfast in his devotion to his personal relationships. That same unwavering nature could be seen in the moral and objective way he conducted his professional life as a journalist.
Friends, family, and well-wishers gathered to memorialise Khalidi's work in journalism as well as his more personal characteristics at a memorial service at Dhaka’s Gulshan Club on Friday afternoon.
Those at the event had crossed paths with him during the course of their education, their careers, or in their personal lives.
At the memorial service, Rasheda K Chowdhury, a former advisor to the caretaker government, said: “We have heard much about Toufique’s talent, his intellect, his wisdom.
“But what was Toufique like as a person? Many of us have been with him; spent time with him. Everyone knows the kind of person he was. Not only the people from his work, but in his circle of friends.”
She also recalled the unfaltering stance of the late editor-in-chief of bdnews24.com on maintaining professionalism in journalism, despite the storms he had to weather.
Cultural personality Ramendu Majumdar spoke about the style of journalism Khalidi pursued and said that he would pass on that style to the next generation.
Former home secretary Aminul Islam Khan reminisced about how Khalidi became a journalist despite the fears and ambitions of his family, and how he had been ahead of his time.
Like Khalidi, these three attendees are also former students of the Department of English at the University of Dhaka.
Ramendu and Rasheda were the presidents of the English Department Alumni Society (EDAS), while Aminul and Khalidi were the general secretaries.
Shahadat Hossain, a junior of Khalidi’s in the Department of English, read his brief biography at the event. His friend Ahmed Ahsanuzzaman recited a poem.
Ahsanuzzaman is currently a teacher at the Department of English of the Independent University of Bangladesh (IUB).
At the beginning of the memorial service, a minute of silence was observed in memory of Khalidi and a prayer was offered at the end for the peace of his soul.
Khalidi the Journalist
Cultural figure Ramendu recalled the ethical and objective nature of Khalidi’s journalism and his adamant determination to not bow to pressure.
The former EDAS president said, "Toufique Imrose Khalidi instituted the ethics and objectivity of journalism."
“bdnews24.com would not handle any flashy news. We always looked to bdnews24 for credible news; this was a great achievement of his.”
Recalling Khalidi’s several terms as the general secretary of EDAS, he said: “And he brought qualitative changes to the department. Not only did he work for the department in his own capacity, but also using the entire strength of his office.
“It would be very unfair if we do not recognise this. I hope that at least those in the English department, especially the teachers, will remember this.”
Ramendu said, “Today, the profession of brave journalism is facing a lot of challenges. It is a difficult job, not as easy as others. There are many paths to follow and if journalists want to remain brave, they face a host of dangers on the way.
“In this country, and in many countries, journalists face similar problems. Toufique faced and overcame them through the strength of his character.
“We hope that those who do journalism now are inspired by Toufique’s principles of journalism, objectivity and courage. Only then will we pay true tribute to Toufique.”
Rasheda spoke about Khalidi’s “weathering various storms” from the perspective of an independent journalist and a pioneer of digital journalism.
The executive director of the non-governmental organisation Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE) said, “But he overcame them by remaining steadfast. Many of us don’t know much about what went on inside.
“I saw, last year he held an event to mark the founding anniversary – many of us were there. The strength of the various types of media there, the different opinions, the different views – the respect for everyone, the way he brought everyone together – that is a thing Toufique could do. I will miss him very much.”
She also recalled the gatherings of people of all faiths at his home on Pahela Baishakh, saying: “I mean, I saw people of many different opinions and walks of life there. Aside from Toufique, such a thing is exceedingly rare nowadays.”
Rasheda said, “We pay tribute to his memory. We will miss him. But we also know that wherever he is, the Creator has surely kept him well and will keep him well. Much respect and love from all of us.”
Despite his parents' hopes, Khalidi decided to pursue the path of a journalist, said Aminul.
The former home secretary said, “I had known Toufique since the first day he came to the university. His parents had high hopes for him, and fears too. Because he was very mischievous, restless, and brave. That is why his parents were very worried.”
Aminul, who was a senior of Khalidi, spoke about his mother once contacting him because of that fear. “She learnt from his friends who he would listen to in the department. And somehow my name reached his mother. His mother then sent me a message to meet her.
“I was a small-town boy. I lived in the hostel, in the halls. But I went. That was our relationship. And three days before he died, he called me from Paris. That was the last time I spoke with him.”
He said Toufique’s parents hoped he would become a civil servant, rise to the highest position, be handsome, smart, know English well, and be very good at math.
"But Toufique was a creative person, and a creative person cannot accept a job that is handed to him. Those of us who are less creative, I mean below average, those are the right posts for us," he joked.
He commented that Khalidi's journalism career had a "very great" start in the Sunday Express newspaper while he was still a university student.
Highlighting the fact that worked alongside cultural figures like Waheedul Haque and Ahmadul Amin at the newspaper, Aminul said: "That was the beginning. Then he went to The Daily Star, the BBC, and bdnews. One thing about Toufique - he could not be satisfied easily."
He described striving for greatness as “something of a disease.”
Aminul said, “Toufique never liked anything ordinary or average. Be it in his magazine, in inviting people to his house, in clothes, in friendship, in anything."
He also spoke about Khalidi being ahead of his time.
"Toufique used to think a lot about AI. We still can't properly anticipate how AI will transform and disrupt our entire way of life.
“And we don’t know how AI will realign education and media. I heard him talking about AI in the newspaper a few days ago. That is, the issue was on his mind. So many colleagues from bdnews are here today, they might also think about these issues.”
In a speech on behalf of Khalidi’s family at the event, his nephew-in-law Akif Ahmed sought everyone’s cooperation in ensuring the future of bdnews24.com.
He said: “Our uncle is actually alive in our memories. His work, his determination, it all revolved around bdnews.
“So as long as bdnews is alive, as long as bdnews is doing well, as long as it stands before us as a strong media outlet, we will remember Toufique Uncle… and value his work.”
He said, “We want your cooperation on how we can celebrate [him] through his work, through bdnews24, in the coming days.”
