Some voices fade with time, while others remain woven into a nation’s history. Towab Khan was one of those whose long career in journalism, broadcasting and public information left a distinctive mark on Bangladesh’s media landscape.
Born on 24 April 1934 in Rasulpur village in Satkhira, Towab Khan grew up in a family with strong connections to journalism and public life. His parents were Abdul Hakim Khan and Azra Khanam. He was the maternal nephew of journalist Maulana Akram Khan and the brother of journalist Abed Khan. Although his family background introduced him to journalism, his own professional ability and commitment established his reputation.
A career built around journalism
Towab Khan began his journalistic career in 1953 with the weekly Janata. In 1955, he joined the daily Sangbad, where he gradually took on greater editorial responsibilities. By 1961, he had become the newspaper’s news editor.
In 1964, he joined the then Daily Pakistan and served as its news editor until 1972. Following Bangladesh’s independence, the newspaper was renamed Dainik Bangla, and Towab Khan became its editor in the same year.
His career reflected the changing nature of journalism in what was then East Pakistan and later independent Bangladesh. Over several decades, he worked across reporting, news editing and newspaper management, gaining experience at a time when the country’s political and social landscape was undergoing profound changes.
A voice during the Liberation War
One of the defining chapters of Towab Khan’s career came during the 1971 Liberation War, when he joined Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra.
The radio station became an important source of news, commentary and morale during the war. Its broadcasts reached people inside the country and played a significant role in communicating the events of the conflict and countering Pakistani propaganda.
Towab Khan became particularly known for the programme Pindiro Prolap. Through satire, political commentary and sharp criticism, the programme addressed the propaganda and political messaging coming from the Pakistani authorities.
His work at the radio centre demonstrated another dimension of his journalism. At a time when conventional newspaper operations were severely disrupted by the conflict, broadcasting became a crucial means of communication, and journalists and broadcasters used their voices to convey information and encourage public morale.
Press secretary after independence
Following Bangladesh’s independence, Towab Khan took on responsibilities beyond newspaper journalism. From 1973 to 1975, he served as press secretary to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
It was a formative period in the newly independent country, when institutions were being reorganised and the government was establishing its administrative and communication structures. In that role, Towab Khan worked close to the country’s political leadership and was involved in press and information-related responsibilities.
He later served as the government’s Chief Information Officer and as Director General of the Press Institute of Bangladesh (PIB). These positions extended his professional contribution from newspaper journalism to the wider field of public information and journalism development.
An editor across generations
Towab Khan later became associated with Dainik Janakantha, serving as its adviser editor. He subsequently returned to the editorship of Dainik Bangla.
Over the course of his career, he worked with journalists from different generations. His experience across newspapers and broadcasting gave him a broad understanding of the profession, from news gathering and editing to editorial leadership.
His career also coincided with major changes in Bangladesh’s media environment. Journalism evolved considerably from the 1950s through the post-independence period, and Towab Khan remained active through many of those transitions.
Recognition for a long career
In recognition of his contribution to journalism, Towab Khan received the Ekushey Padak in 2016. In the same year, he was elected a Fellow of Bangla Academy.
These honours came after more than six decades of involvement in journalism and public information. His professional record encompassed newspaper editing, wartime broadcasting, government information services and leadership within a national journalism institution.
A life linked to a changing country
Towab Khan’s career closely followed several major stages in Bangladesh’s modern history. He entered journalism in the 1950s, worked through the politically turbulent 1960s, took part in the broadcasting efforts of the 1971 Liberation War, and continued his professional work after independence.
His experiences therefore extended across a period in which journalism itself underwent substantial transformation. From the newsroom of newspapers such as Sangbad and Daily Pakistan to Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra and later senior editorial and institutional positions, he remained connected with the country’s media sector for decades.
Towab Khan died on 1 October 2022 at the age of 87 while undergoing treatment in Dhaka.
His death brought to an end a career that had spanned nearly seven decades and included some of the most significant periods in Bangladesh’s journalistic history.
For many readers and journalists, his name remains associated with the history of newspaper journalism, the broadcasts of Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra and the development of the country’s post-independence media institutions.
Towab Khan’s legacy is therefore preserved not only through the positions he held or the honours he received, but also through the historical record of a journalist who worked across several generations of Bangladesh’s media.
His voice eventually fell silent, but the body of work accumulated over a long professional life remains part of the country’s journalism heritage.
