Published : 04 Oct 2026, 02:21 PM
Updated : 04 Oct 2026, 02:21 PM
Toufique Imrose Khalidi, a pioneer of online journalism in Bangladesh and the editor-in-chief of bdnews24.com, is no longer with us.
After suffering a cerebral haemorrhage, he was taken to St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London on Thursday night. He died on Friday. His sudden passing at the age of 59 has left a profound void in Bangladesh’s media landscape, one that will not be easy to fill.
For me, however, his passing is a far deeper and more painful loss. Toufique Bhai was not merely my editor-in-chief or the head of the organisation where I worked. He was a true guardian, a mentor, a guide, and one of the most important sources of inspiration throughout my long professional journey.
The story of how I came to work with Toufique Bhai is also quite unique. It was October 2006. Alongside my studies at the University of Dhaka, I was working in the Features Department of the Daily Ittefaq. One day, my friend Qumruzzaman suggested that I join a new online news organisation. At the time, “online journalism” was still a largely unfamiliar concept to us, so I turned down the idea outright.
A few days later, he came back and said: “If you want, you can join bdnews24.com. I can show your portfolio to Toufique Bhai.”
“Toufique Bhai” meant Toufique Imrose Khalidi. The moment I heard his name, I agreed without hesitation. By then, he had already become a familiar and much-admired figure to me because of his rich, resonant voice as a newsreader on BBC Bangla radio.
When Qumruzzaman showed him my portfolio, he asked me to speak to Biswadip Das. I never found out what exactly he had told him. But when I met Biswadip Dada, he asked me just one question over a cup of tea - when could I join?
After taking a few days to make arrangements, I joined bdnews24.com on Dec 21, 2006. I formally received my appointment letter on Jan 1, 2007. That was how my journey with Toufique Bhai began, almost from the very inception of bdnews24.com. I therefore had the rare opportunity to witness at close quarters how, under the extraordinary leadership of a visionary man, an entirely new kind of news organisation was built in Bangladesh.
Toufique Imrose Khalidi embraced digital journalism at a time when mainstream media in Bangladesh essentially meant newspapers and television. With the launch of bdnews24.com in its new form in 2006 and the establishment of a 24-hour news publishing culture, he helped lay a strong foundation for Bangladesh’s journalism to enter the digital age.
His achievement was not limited to establishing a technology-driven news organisation. He placed the highest importance on accuracy, attribution of sources, objectivity and professional discipline. His role in making these principles an integral part of the newsroom culture at bdnews24.com was exceptional.
To the outside world, he was known as a serious, outspoken and uncompromising editor. But those who had the opportunity to work closely with him knew that behind that stern exterior was a deeply caring person with extraordinary faith in people and their potential. I was fortunate enough to experience that warmth myself.
It is difficult to put into words how much Toufique Bhai contributed to my becoming the internationally recognised photographer known today as “Mustafiz Mamun.” He did not see my passion and inclination towards photography merely as a professional responsibility. He recognised my potential with a discerning eye and repeatedly encouraged me to go beyond my boundaries and dream bigger.
Whenever I approached him with an idea for a new photography project, exhibition or visual story, he would listen attentively, offer advice and, above all, place his complete trust in me.
I have always felt somewhat shy about having my own achievements or awards reported by my workplace. Toufique Bhai was exactly the opposite. Whenever he learned that I had won an award, he would proudly instruct the newsroom to give it prominent coverage.
One memorable occasion was when I won the Grand Prize in the CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor) Photo Contest, organised by the World Bank in the United States, in 2017. At the time, I was in Bonn, Germany, working at Deutsche Welle on assignment from bdnews24.com. Late one night, my phone suddenly rang. It was Toufique Bhai.
He had seen the news on BBC World Service and called to congratulate me. In that familiar, resonant voice, he said, “Congratulations, Mamun!”
Later, I saw that bdnews24.com had given considerable prominence to the news of my award in both its Bangla and English editions. At that moment, the joy of winning the award was intertwined with the profound satisfaction of receiving the recognition and affection of someone who had been like a guardian to me.
While I was in Germany, Toufique Bhai would often call me late at night. He always had one piece of advice: “Don’t spend all your time working. Travel around and see Europe.”
He seemed to know Europe like the back of his hand, including which countries had which museums and how to travel around easily. At the time, Toufique Bhai himself was going through severe financial hardship amid various legal battles. Yet even during those difficult days, he would tell me to let him know if I ever needed money.
I was deeply moved by such extraordinary generosity from a man who was himself going through such a difficult time. It was largely because of his constant encouragement that I had the opportunity to travel to many European countries during that period.
Another incident remains particularly vivid in my memory.
Last February, Toufique Bhai and I were together in Singapore. Back home, I had won first prize in an environmental photography competition. Since I was not in Bangladesh, my wife accepted the award on my behalf.
Although I spent the entire day with Toufique Bhai, I was too embarrassed to tell him about the award. But he saw the news in the newspaper and congratulated me anyway.
With his characteristic sense of humour, he laughed and said, “It was a good thing I brought you to Singapore. At least your wife got the chance to receive the award herself! She deserves no small share of the credit for all these awards of yours.”
That day, he celebrated my achievement with a special dinner. For me, sharing such a personal moment of joy with an editor I respected so deeply will remain an invaluable memory for the rest of my life.
He did not only take an interest in my professional life; he also always asked about my family. Whenever we met, he would warmly enquire about my wife and daughter. In particular, he would offer thoughtful advice about my daughter’s future and her education.
Today, the international awards, honours and recognition I have received through exhibitions in Bangladesh and abroad are the result of my own hard work as well as the contributions of many people. Among them, however, Toufique Bhai’s contribution holds a particularly special place. He did not merely evaluate my work; he had immense faith in my potential.
One lesson from him continues to influence my work profoundly.
He used to say that Bangladesh’s stories are right here, on Bangladeshi soil. We have to look at the stories of our people, nature, culture, environment, livelihoods and struggles with fresh eyes and proudly take those stories to the world.
That belief has remained a guiding light throughout my journey as a photographer.
From the remote corners of Bangladesh to the busy life of its cities, from rivers, forests and coastlines to agriculture, working people and environmental issues, this idea has repeatedly inspired me to document the country through my camera.
Toufique Bhai may not have been directly behind every photograph I took, but he gave me much of the courage to see my work on a larger stage.
Perhaps Toufique Imrose Khalidi’s greatest legacy is not only bdnews24.com, but also the generation of journalists, photographers and media professionals he helped shape.
He could recognise the potential in young people. He gave them opportunities to work, allowed them room to make mistakes and, when necessary, corrected them firmly. Many people who had the opportunity to work under his leadership have gone on to establish strong professional identities in Bangladesh’s media industry.
He did not merely produce objective journalism; he helped shape people.
And that, perhaps, is where his legacy as an editor will remain deepest and most enduring.
There are people who enter our lives and become such a natural source of comfort and trust that we can never imagine their absence. Toufique Imrose Khalidi was exactly that kind of person for me.
Today, he is no longer with us.
But the ideals he left behind, the institution he built with his own hands, and the selfless affection he showed towards people like us will keep him alive for generations to come.
In the years ahead, with every new frame captured by my camera, every new story I tell, and every achievement in my life, I will remember the trust he placed in me.
Perhaps after taking a beautiful photograph, I will suddenly find myself thinking, “I wish I could show this to Toufique Bhai. He would have been so happy.”
I will never again hear a response from that familiar, resonant voice.
And yet, he will remain with me.
He will remain in the inspiration behind my work, in the deepest chambers of my memory, and behind every frame I capture, like an unseen guardian.
Rest well, Toufique Bhai, wherever you are.
My deepest respect and endless love for your memory.
