A life in print ends in tragedy

Police yesterday recovered the body of veteran journalist Bibhuranjan Sarker from the Meghna river in Munshiganj.

The 71-year-old left home saying he was going to his office a day earlier and had been missing since then.

Bibhuranjan, a senior assistant editor at Bangla daily Ajker Patrika, around 9:15am on Thursday emailed an article to bdnews24.com. The online news publisher said that in the footnote, he wrote, "You may publish this as my last piece of writing in life."

Bdnews24 published the article, titled "Khola Chithi" (Open Letter), yesterday afternoon.

The letter reflected on his life, struggles, and disappointments over five decades in journalism.

He wrote that throughout his career, he stood for truth, justice, and people, often publishing under pseudonyms to avoid repression during the Ershad regime and other turbulent times. He never sought personal gain and refused to exploit the Liberation War for benefit.

He recalled his journey from his school days, writing for Dainik Azad to his later work in Sangbad, Rupali, Janakantha, and Ajker Patrika, as well as many weeklies and online outlets.

Though once "praised by intellectuals, politicians, and even Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus", Bibhuranjan lamented that in recent years his writings no longer drew attention. Despite thousands of articles, he received little payment and often worked without honorarium.

The letter detailed his hardships: chronic illnesses including arthritis, liver cirrhosis, diabetes, and heart disease; soaring medical bills; debts; and the added burden of his son's illness and unemployment.

His son, a BUET graduate, has struggled to find a stable job despite his qualifications, while his daughter, a medical officer, recently failed her MD thesis exam, which he alleged was due to political bias.

Bibhuranjan also expressed frustration that many journalists had received land, financial benefits, or career advancements under Sheikh Hasina's government.

He felt sidelined at his current workplace as well, "having been denied promotion, underpaid, and struggling with rising living costs". Writing critical but factual articles, he added, often risked backlash, as seen in the pressure exerted on his newspaper.

The letter regretted over missed opportunities, and a sorrowful acceptance that he had "no success story to tell".

"Sorrow will remain my last companion," he said, wishing happiness for all beings.

Yesterday afternoon, Inspector Saleh Ahmed Pathan, in-charge of the Kalgachhia river police outpost in Narayanganj, said a body of a man was spotted floating in the river.

After recovery, Bibhuranjan's brother Chiroranjan Sarker and son Wreet Sarker identified the body.

Masud Alam, deputy commissioner of Ramna Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said police were investigating the cause of the death.

Inspector Pathan said the body would be taken to Dhaka today after an autopsy at Munshiganj General Hospital.

After confirming the identity of his brother, Chiroranjan said, "We really don't know how this could have happened. He was living a fairly normal life."

"We don't know if this was suicide, murder, or something planned," he said.

Wreet said, "Before leaving the house, my father bathed, and had breakfast. We knew nothing about any open letter. We only learned about it today. We also do not know if my father had any problems with anyone," he said.

Earlier in the afternoon, Golam Faruk, officer-in-charge of Ramna Police Station, told The Daily Star that they were trying to find Bibhuranjan after Wreet filed a general diary with the police station around 1:00am.

Sometime after the filing of the GD, Chiroranjan wrote on Facebook that Bibhuranjan left his Siddheshwari home at 10:00am on Thursday to go to his office but left his mobile phone behind. Later, the family found out that he did not go to work. Nobody saw him the whole day and he did not return home.

They decided to file the GD after failing to find him in hospitals, parks, and other places.