Published : 03 Oct 2026, 12:31 PM
Updated : 03 Oct 2026, 12:31 PM
Daily Sun Editor Rezaul Karim Lotus has paid tribute to the warmth, generosity and humanity of Toufique Imrose Khalidi, recalling an act of kindness 27 years ago that his family has never forgotten.
Rezaul, who worked with Khalidi at The Daily Star, remembered his former colleague not only as a pioneer of digital journalism in Bangladesh, but as the man who came to his aid in the middle of the night when his wife unexpectedly went into labour.
It was around 3am on Feb 6, 1999. Rezaul's wife had suddenly gone into labour and, with transport difficult to find at that hour and no car of his own, he turned to Khalidi.
"I dialed Toufique Bhai's number in the middle of the night," he wrote.
"He didn't hesitate for a single second."
Khalidi drove to Rezaul's home and took the couple in his own car to Samorita Hospital, where Rezaul's first child, his son Rangan, was safely born.
"Instead of treating the call as an untimely disturbance, he rushed straight to my home in his own car. He didn't just offer sympathy; he took control of a critical situation, personally driving my wife and me to Samorita Hospital," Rezaul said.
For Rezaul, the episode revealed a side of Khalidi that existed beyond the newsroom and his public reputation as a journalist.
"That is the true measure of Toufique Imrose Khalidi. He wasn't just a great journalist; he was a remarkable human being who would drive through the dark of night to help a colleague in distress."
Rezaul said his family had never forgotten what Khalidi did that night.
"For the last 27 years, my family and I have lived with an enduring sense of gratitude toward him," he said.
"Every time his name has come up in conversation, I have proudly shared this story, ensuring people know the immense warmth and generosity hidden behind his formidable professional persona."
Rezaul described Khalidi's death as a profound personal loss as well as a loss to Bangladesh's media.
He said Khalidi would be remembered in the profession as a pioneer of digital journalism in Bangladesh, a "sharp-witted wordsmith" and an influential journalist.
But his own memories went beyond Khalidi's professional achievements.
"Beyond the deadlines, the newsroom pressure, and his fierce commitment to truth, Toufique Bhai possessed a profound, compassionate humanity that defined who he truly was," he wrote.
Addressing his former colleague directly, he added: "Toufique Bhai, your untimely departure leaves a massive void in our hearts and in the nation's media landscape.
"We pray for the eternal peace of your departed soul and send our deepest strength to your family. You will be fiercely missed, but your kindness will live on forever in the story of my family.
"Rest in peace, Toufique Bhai."
