Toufique Imrose Khalidi, editor-in-chief and publisher of bdnews24.com, has died at a London hospital at the age of 59. He passed away on Friday, 2 October, after suffering a brain haemorrhage while on a personal visit to the United Kingdom.
Khalidi was taken to St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London on Thursday night after suddenly falling ill. According to bdnews24.com, doctors pronounced him dead at 2:23pm local time on Friday, equivalent to around 7:23pm in Bangladesh. His death was confirmed by colleagues and subsequently reported by several leading Bangladeshi news organisations.
Khalidi had travelled to London on a personal visit. Colleagues said he had been expected to return to Bangladesh within a few days. His sudden deterioration and death came as a shock to colleagues in the newsroom and the wider journalism community.
A prominent figure in Bangladesh’s media industry, Khalidi had a journalism career spanning more than three decades. He studied English at the University of Dhaka before entering the profession. Over the course of his career, he worked in print, broadcasting and digital journalism, gaining experience across several major media organisations.
He worked for The Daily Star and later joined the BBC, where he held editorial and broadcasting roles. His experience in both Bangladeshi and international media gave him a broad professional background at a time when the country’s news industry was undergoing major changes.
Khalidi took charge of bdnews24.com in 2006 and subsequently served as its editor-in-chief and publisher. He remained closely associated with the organisation for two decades, during which online journalism became an increasingly significant part of Bangladesh’s media landscape.
His career also reflected the transition from traditional journalism to digital news production. Before and during his tenure at bdnews24.com, he worked across different formats and covered subjects including business, politics, economics, development and international affairs.
In December 2017, Khalidi received the National ICT Award in recognition of his contribution to the development of Digital Bangladesh. The recognition reflected the growing role of digital platforms in the country’s news and information ecosystem.
News of his death prompted condolences from senior figures in Bangladesh. President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir expressed profound grief and described Khalidi as a pioneer in the development of online and digital journalism in the country. In his condolence message, the President said Bangladesh had lost an experienced, courteous and distinguished media personality and that Khalidi’s contribution to journalism and the media would be remembered for years to come.
Recalling his personal association with Khalidi, the President said his death was deeply painful for him. He also conveyed his sympathy to the bereaved family and prayed for the peace of the departed soul.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Andaleeve Rahman and State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Yasser Khan Choudhury also expressed grief over Khalidi’s death. Other ministers, state ministers and senior officials joined in offering condolences to his family.
The family had not initially finalised when Khalidi’s body would be brought back to Bangladesh. Details of his Namaz-e-Janaza and burial were also to be announced after the family made the necessary arrangements.
Khalidi’s death brings to an end a long career that closely followed the transformation of Bangladesh’s media industry. From print and broadcast journalism to the rise of digital news, he worked through several defining phases of the profession. His two decades at the helm of bdnews24.com made him one of the country’s most recognisable figures in online journalism.
