Alive journalist shown as "martyr" in July documentary

Journalist Mizanur Rahman Sohel has found himself mistakenly listed as a martyr in a presentation about journalists killed during the "July Mass Uprising." The incident occurred during an event titled "July Through the Eyes of Journalists" at a five-star hotel in Dhaka, organized by the Democratic Journalist Alliance (DJA) on Monday (August 17). National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener and Chief Whip of the Opposition in Parliament, Md. Nahid Islam, attended the event as the chief guest.

Mizanur Rahman Sohel stated that the presentation displayed at the event claimed he was martyred in Habiganj on July 4, 2024. While the photograph used in the presentation was indeed his, the name associated with it was that of journalist Sohel Akanji.

Following the incident, Sohel took to his social media account to write, "I am Mizanur Rahman Sohel. I am a writer and journalist by profession. And yes, I am still alive." He shared that after the event, acquaintances, colleagues, and fellow journalists repeatedly called him to check if he was alive, forcing him to assure them, "I am not dead."

Sohel remarked that presenting a living human as deceased or a martyr is not merely a factual error, as it carries severe social and professional implications. The spread of such misinformation on social media has caused significant confusion among his family, friends, and colleagues.

He questioned why fact-checking was not carried out before utilizing a journalist's name and photo in a public presentation, emphasizing that verifying information should be handled with utmost care, especially concerning sensitive topics like the martyrs of the July mass uprising.

While stating he did not wish to unjustly blame anyone, Sohel demanded a responsible explanation and correction regarding whose responsibility the error was, who collected and verified the information, and who approved the presentation for the event.

The DJA's invitation letter had stated that the program was organized to commemorate journalists who risked their lives during the July mass uprising and to highlight their roles. However, depicting a living journalist as a martyr has raised serious questions regarding the lack of fact-checking.

Addressing the issue, NCP Joint Convener Sarwar Tushar stated that while the name of the martyred journalist in the documentary's text was correct, the photograph used was mistakenly misplaced. He added that the error would be rectified and an official press release expressing regret would be issued.

Subsequently, the NCP media cell published a press release apologizing for the incident. The notification noted that the mistake was entirely unintentional, acknowledged Mizanur Rahman Sohel as a well-known figure in the country's online and digital journalism community, offered sincere apologies to him and all concerned, and requested that the matter be viewed with leniency.