Toufique Imrose Khalidi, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of bdnews24.com, has passed away while undergoing treatment in London.
*Inna Lillahi wa Inna Ilayhi Raji'un* (Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed, to Him we shall return). He breathed his last at a hospital in London on Friday evening (October 2), Bangladesh time. He was 59 years old at the time of his death.
He had been admitted to a London hospital on Thursday night following a brain hemorrhage and subsequently passed away while under medical care. Several senior journalists from bdnews24.com confirmed the news of his death.
Toufique Imrose Khalidi was a well-known figure in the country's journalism and media landscape. He had been serving as the publisher and editor-in-chief of bdnews24.com—an organization he owned—since 2006.
Before joining bdnews24, he worked as a journalist for a national broadsheet newspaper. Later, he worked as a presenter, producer, and editor for the BBC in the United Kingdom. He also received training in media and journalism in various locations, including Dhaka and London.
Khalidi possessed extensive experience across all three mediums of journalism: broadcast, print, and digital. His journalistic work covered a wide range of fields, including business, politics, the economy, development, and international affairs.
In 2017, Toufique Imrose Khalidi received a special honor at the National Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Awards. He was presented with this honor on December 12 of that year at a ceremony held at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre, in recognition of his contributions to 'Digital Bangladesh.' The then-Speaker of the National Parliament, Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, handed him the commemorative award.
Toufique Imrose Khalidi also played a significant role in the development of online journalism in the country. Under his leadership, bdnews24 relaunched in 2006 with a new management structure and a fresh identity as bdnews24.com. Over time, the organization evolved into one of the most prominent online news platforms in the country. His death has cast a pall of gloom over the country's journalism and media sectors. However, detailed information regarding the post-death formalities, funeral prayer, and burial was not immediately available.
