Now is the time for rebuilding, renewal, says bdnews24.com Chief Editor Toufique Khalidi

He sheds light on the journey of not giving up in the face of challenges at the news publisher’s 18th anniversary

bdnews24.com, the first online newspaper in Bangladesh, has celebrated its 18th anniversary with the hopes of ‘rebuilding, repair and renewal’ after overcoming the impact of past crises.

People from across the social spectrum joined a modest yet vibrant event at the Grand Ballroom of the Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel in Dhaka on Tuesday evening.

The event brought together members of the government, policymakers from leading political parties, judges and lawyers, business titans, industrialists, poets, authors and journalists, cultural activists, sports stars, officers in the armed forces, and changemakers in different sectors.

Shedding light on a story of perseverence in the face of struggle, Toufique Imrose Khalidi, who has helmed bdnews24.com throughout its voyage as the torchbearer of digital media outlets in Bangladesh, said at the event: “Our commitment to excellence remains steadfast. Now is the time for rebuilding, repair, and renewal.”

The ceremony began with the national anthem.

The bdnews24.com chief editor then took the stage to tell the bittersweet tale of the news outlet’s storied journey of 18 years.

Two concise audio-visual presentations were also showcased at the event.

At the start of the speech, Khalidi paid tribute to those who have made today’s Bangladesh possible, from 1971 to 2024.

The editor-in-chief said, “Our story is not just about the journey of a news publisher navigating an untested business model in a hostile political environment. It is also a story of passion, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of excellence.”

Khalidi said the journey of bdnews24.com has been obstructed by pressure from high-ups, five years of harassment due a false case by the Anti-Corruption Commission, or ACC, and attempts to strangle the outlet financially.

He said: "We refused to align ourselves with any authority. Financially, we paid the price, but the thrill of doing the right thing sustained us through those years of chronic underinvestment."

The guests were then invited to the stage to cut a cake. At the call of senior journalist and columnist Shafik Rehman, a minute's silence was observed to commemorate those killed in the student-led mass uprising.

A concise audio-visual presentation showcasing bdnews24.com’s remarkable journey was showcased and prominently featured on a billboard at the ballroom entrance.

The audio-visual presentation highlighted the news outlet's journey, tracking the way it has earned the trust of readers and viewers by delivering the 'right news first,' in the face of a series of adversities along the way.

The billboard presentation told the story of the birth of many firsts of bdnews24.com, starting from the launch of the first digital news service in Bangladesh on Oct 23, 2006.

PUBLIC FUNDS MISUSE IN MEDIA ADS: KHALIDI’S VIEWS

The editor-in-chief said the government's outdated and flawed advertising policies have led to the misuse of taxpayers' money.

“Taxpayer money is routinely siphoned off through inflated circulation figures, and we in the media are complicit when we tolerate such behaviour,” said Khalidi.

He added, “We continue to grapple with outdated media policies and government advertising regimes that benefit dishonest operators.”

According to the Department of Films and Publications, or DFP, there are 584 listed daily newspapers in the country, most of which are unheard of by the public.

The DFP receives inflated circulation numbers from these outlets, claiming over 18.5 million copies are printed daily, a figure far above the actual number.

The editor-in-chief pointed out that anyone familiar with government reports on newspaper circulation would recognise the absurdity of the figures.

He said government advertisements are allocated and rates are determined based on these inflated numbers.

“This has been happening for decades, and the recipient newspaper owners remain utterly shameless about it. This must end,” Khalidi added.

The DFP’s policy says that Bengali daily newspapers with a circulation of 141,000 or more receive a rate of Tk 900 per column-inch for government ads. Newspapers with lower circulation are paid a reduced rate for such ads.

Despite the internet age, most of the advertising revenue in the country still goes to television channels, with print media receiving the bulk of the remaining funds.

Online newspapers are receiving even less, with government ads almost entirely bypassing them.

A CONSTELLATION OF LUMINARIES GRACE THE EVENT

A dazzling lineup of renowned personalities gathered to celebrate bdnews24.com’s milestone event.

European Union Ambassador to Dhaka Michael Miller, French Ambassador Marie Masdupuy, and the Islamic Republic of Iran Embassy’s Second Secretary Javed Askari, Philippines Ambassador Leo Tito L Ausan Jr, Argentina Ambassador Marcelo Cesa and Algerian Ambassador Abdelouahab Saidani, and senior diplomats from India, South Korea, and many other countries attended.

There were also several justices and senior civil servants - present and former - including ex-BIDA chair Kazi Aminul Islam, Information Secretary Mahbuba Farzana, PSC member Nazmul Amin, former chief election commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda, former Anti-Corruption Commission chairman Golam Rahman joined the celebrations as well.

Top doctors, such as celebrated eye surgeon Niaz Abdur-Rahman, Dr ABM Abdullah, and public health expert Mushtuq Husain, took time out of their busy schedules to take part.

Showbiz superstars Alamgir and Ilyas Kanchan, magician Jewel, singer Kanak Chapa, Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra artist and freedom fighter Rafiqul Alam, singer Sujit Mustafa, his wife and prominent dance artist Munmun Ahmed, theatre personality Mamunur Rashid and his younger brother Kamaluddin Kabir, actor and threatre director Ramendu Majumdar, actor and director Tariq Anam Khan, and actor Azizul Hakim were some of the celebrities who joined the event.

Singer Mehreen Mahmud was the first to arrive with a wreath and greet bdnews24.com.

Rafiur Rabbi, convener of the anti-terrorism platform Taki Mancha, and Shafiqul Islam Miah, general manager of Karmasangsthan Bank, were in attendance. Bangladesh women's football team Captain Sabina Khatun and Vice-captain Maria Manda also joined bdnews24.com’s celebration.

Among the media industry crowd in attendance were veteran journalist and Media Commission Chairman Kamal Ahmed, editors Golam Rahma of Ajker Patrika, Saiful Alam of Jugantor and Mainul Alam of Amader Shomoy, Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Managing Director Mahbub Morshed, and sports journalist Rafiqul Hasan.

former Bangladesh national cricket team captain and freedom fighter Raqibul Hasan, BNP leader Shaheed Uddin Chowdhury Annie, Ganosamhati Andolan's Chief Coordinator Zonayed Saki, former inspector general of police Nurul Huda, former comptroller and auditor general Muslim Chowdhury, public health expert Mushtuq Husain, former CEC ATM Shamsul Huda, Mass Literacy Campaign Executive Director Rasheda K Chowdhury, and Additional Attorney General Abdul Jabbar Bhuiyan.

Actors Ramendu Majumdar, Azizul Hakim, Misha Sawdagor, Ahsan Habib Nasim, Rahmat Ali, and Wahida Mollick Jolly, singer Farida Parveen, BotTala theatre group head Ali Haider Siddiqui, artist Rashid Amin, theatre researcher Kamal Uddin Kabir, Bengal Foundation Director-General Luva Nahid Choudhury and many other prominent personalities were in attendance.

Jatiya Party chief GM Quader, ex BIDA chair Kazi Aminul Islam, Media Reform Commission Chairman Kamal Ahmed, Independent Television’s Chief News Editor Mustafa Akmal, Special Correspondent Jahanara Parvin, National Press Club President Hasan Hafiz and General Secretary Ayub Bhuiyan and Daily Jugantor Editor Saiful Alam were also in the ballroom.

Among others in attendance were women rights leader Khushi Kabir, Golam Rahman, and sports personality Nazmul Abedin Fahim.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Md Mainul Islam, Emeritus Professor ABM Abdullah of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, along with government officials and top figures from different sectors of Bangladesh, were present at the event.

‘THE MEDIA, TOO, REQUIRES BETTER UNDERSTANDING AND REGULATION’

According to the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, or BTRC, the number of internet users in Bangladesh is now close to 140 million, which is higher than the total population of Japan and twice that of the United Kingdom.

This highlights the vast potential for reaching a large audience through online newspapers.

Khalidi said, “The media, too, requires better understanding and regulation. Television licences, for example, have long been distributed based on political favouritism rather than merit. The formula has failed spectacularly.”

He continued, “Objective, independent media is essential—not just for holding power to account, but also for providing constructive feedback to those in leadership. Without it, poor decisions and flawed perceptions are inevitable.”

However, highlighting that the problem exists both within and outside the media, the editor-in-chief shared his own experience.

He said, “In 2018, we launched the Editors Guild, Bangladesh to try to raise the dignity of the editorial institution and promote journalistic integrity. Unfortunately, our efforts were undermined by interference from those unwilling to see a free and ethical media flourish.”

“Halfway through my two-year term as president, it was abruptly ended by a coup of sorts, allegedly orchestrated by the then-head of DGFI at the behest of the top political leadership. At least two editors, who were privy to conversations about this, shared with me the story behind the story,” he added.

An influential businessman faced issues due to news reports published a decade ago regarding an old case. About three years ago, he began applying pressure in multiple ways to have those reports removed. When his unreasonable demands were not met, he initiated defamation cases against senior editors of bdnews24.com in multiple districts, although none of them ultimately held up.

Regarding such unjust pressure, the editor-in-chief said: "Our principles are clear: while the right to be forgotten is valid, historical records should not be erased. As journalists, we write the first draft of history, and our archives must remain intact.”

He added, “Pressure to delete content—from legal notices to backdoor offers—has been immense. We have resisted, even at great cost, because we believe in the integrity of our reporting.”

‘BANGLADESH NEEDS STRONGER INSTITUTIONS’

Khalidi emphasised the urgency of institutional reforms, highlighting how agencies such as the Anti-Corruption Commission, or ACC, judiciary, and intelligence agencies have been misused by political and private actors wielding ill-gotten wealth.

In his words, Bangladesh needed stronger institutions, led by competent professionals, to ensure accountability and fairness.

Khalidi said bdnews24.com has always prioritised accountability to the public, readers, and its audience, never swayed by fear or favour.

Five years ago, however, things took a darker turn. Political abuse of power, misinformation, intolerance, and the refusal to accept journalistic truth created an environment of fear.

It was a time when the bdnews24.com team was working to expand its news service and innovate ideas, despite facing a baseless five-year investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission, or ACC.

In October 2019, asset management company LR Global Bangladesh invested Tk 500 million in bdnews24.com. A vested quarter became active following the investment.

Share transactions were blocked at the Bangladesh Securities And Exchange Commission, and the ACC filed a corruption case against the news outlet. In many ways, bdnews24.com was challenged, creating a ‘strangling’ situation.

The ACC closed the case in September this year. “While this ordeal caused lasting financial damage, it also taught us valuable lessons. We gained firsthand insight into the inefficiency and corruption within key institutions,” the editor-in-chief said.

“Reforms are not just necessary—they are urgent,” he added.

“Bangladesh faces profound institutional weaknesses. Regulatory bodies, which should safeguard public interests, have been eroded for personal and political gain,” he said.

He continued, “We need stronger institutions, led by competent professionals, to ensure accountability and fairness. At bdnews24.com, while we are prepared to hold regulators to account, we don’t mind being held to account too. But it is important to be fair.”

18 YEARS OF UNWAVERING INTEGRITY IN JOURNALISM

bdnews24.com began its journey in the first half of 2005, initially operating as a news service providing updates to media outlets.

While other agencies relied on teleprinters to disseminate news, bdnews24.com embraced the internet from the outset.

A major transformation occurred in 2006 when the agency underwent a change in ownership and management. Under the leadership of journalist Khalidi, the new management restructured the organisation, turning it into the country’s first dotcom company.

On Oct 23 of the same year, bdnews24.com launched its 24-hour news service, heralding the dawn of digital journalism in Bangladesh.

Over the past 18 years, bdnews24.com has not merely reported news but chronicled history. Through continual innovation, it has introduced pioneering news services, setting the standard for others in the industry to emulate.

GUEST SHARE THOUGHTS ON bdnews24.com

Shafik said, "I wish for the progress of bdnews24.com. To me, Toufique Imrose Khalidi is known as a visionary journalist. He was the first to start online journalism in Bangladesh. I congratulate him for that."

"Since 1957, I have worked in both part-time and full-time roles at the BBC [British Broadcasting Corporation] in London. It was there that I met Khalidi. He was the only one who chose to leave his position at the BBC. I was truly astonished when he told me 'I am going back to my country to pursue independent journalism’. His vision was clear. He was a true visionary.”

“bdnews24.com created a new path in the world of journalism. It has matured. I congratulate everyone involved,” he added.

Khushi Kabir, the coordinator of the private development organisation Nijera Kori, said she visits bdnews24.com during her leisure time to stay updated with the day's events.

"There’s always something new on bdnews24.com. That’s what we look forward to seeing. Whenever I want to check what’s happening, I instinctively turn to bdnews24.com,” she said.

Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain, managing director of Islamic Finance, said his day is incomplete without checking news on the news website.

“As a banker, I always prefer accurate information. I want to read the news so comprehensive that I don’t have to look elsewhere. The reports on bdnews24.com are always factual,” he said.

Public health expert Dr Mushtaq Hossain ranked bdnews24.com as “number one” among online news portals in Bangladesh.

“bdnews24.com has proven that online news platforms in Bangladesh can be a reliable source of information,” he said.

“Even 18 years after its establishment, I still believe bdnews24.com remains the top online news platform because everyone cites it as a source,” he added.

Cultural organiser Ramendu Majumdar expressed hope that bdnews24.com would continue its commitment to publishing objective news despite facing numerous challenges.

“They have consistently maintained quality while publishing credible news in the truest sense. bdnews24.com demonstrates courage by ensuring the news is thoroughly verified before publication, which is essential for us,” he said.