Published : 08 Oct 2026, 10:48 PM
Updated : 08 Oct 2026, 11:22 PM
Former colleagues and members of the Bangladeshi community in London have gathered to pay their final respects to Toufique Imrose Khalidi, the late editor-in-chief of bdnews24.com and a pioneer of Bangladesh’s digital news media.
His Janaza (funeral prayer) was held after Zuhr prayers at Brick Lane Jamme Masjid in East London.
His coffin was kept at the mosque from 10:30am to 1pm local time for well-wishers to pay their respects.
Khalidi worked for BBC World Service in London from 2000 to 2005. Former colleagues including Moazzem Hossain, Shakeel Anwar, Atikur Samad, Masud Hasan Khan and Uday Shankar Das, along with Bangladeshi journalists working for different British media outlets, attended.
Members of the Bangladeshi community and some family members also joined the Janaza, led by Brick Lane Jamme Masjid Imam Nazrul Islam.
His elder son, Raad Sharaar Khalidi, a director of Bangladesh News 24 Hours Ltd, spoke on behalf of the family.
“Father believed journalism should be honest, fearless and independent. To him, journalism was not merely a profession; it was a responsibility and a passion,” Raad said.
“He had to go through many difficult periods while carrying out that responsibility. Many of you here stood beside him during those turbulent times. Our family is grateful for your love, courage and support.”
He urged everyone to pray for his father and asked God to forgive his shortcomings and accept his good deeds.
bdnews24.com’s London correspondent Syed Nahas Pasha said Khalidi was more than a professional colleague.
“I cannot overcome my grief. I represent bdnews24.com in London, but our relationship was much more than that -- we were friends,” he said.
“Toufique Bhai was a warm and gracious person. For those doing online journalism in Bangladesh, I would call him a mentor and a pioneer.”
Expatriate journalist Nawab Uddin said, “Toufique Imrose Khalidi was a star of Bangladeshi journalism. We have lost a brave and honest journalist.
“The revolution he brought to journalism in Bangladesh paved the way for many others to enter online journalism. Many news portals were created in his footsteps, and he helped train and shape many journalists in Bangladesh.”
Former Brent mayor Parvez Ahmed said, “I am deeply grateful to him, and our entire community is grateful to him. May Allah grant him a place in Jannah, and our condolences go to his family. May they remain well.”
London Bangla Press Club President Tareq Chowdhury said, “Khalidi Bhai will live on through his work.”
Khalidi, 59, suddenly fell ill in London on Thursday night while on a private visit. He was taken to St Bartholomew’s Hospital, where doctors found he had suffered a brain haemorrhage. He was pronounced dead at 2:23pm local time on Friday.
His body will arrive in Bangladesh on Saturday. Family, friends and colleagues will pay their final respects at Banani Old DOHS playground that afternoon before he is buried at Mirpur Martyred Intellectuals’ Graveyard.
