Journalist’s body recovered from river: what message does it give

Two journalists’ bodies have been recovered from rivers one after another. A few days ago, the body of senior Bangladeshi journalist Bibhuranjan Sarkar was recovered from the Meghna River in Munshiganj. On Sunday, the body of journalist Wahed-uz-Zaman Bulu was recovered from the Rupsha River in Khulna. Both deaths are mysterious.

According to news published in the media on 1 September, the body of journalist Wahed-uz-Zaman Bulu was recovered on Sunday night from under the Khan Jahan Ali Bridge (Rupsha Bridge) in Khulna. Police said there were injury marks on his right hand and face. Bulu (60) was a senior staff reporter of the daily Sangbad Protidin. He was a member of Khulna Press Club and Khulna Union of Journalists (KUJ). Rupsha river police sources said the body was recovered around 8:15 pm on Sunday. His identity was confirmed from his national identity card. Major Maruf, deputy commander of RAB-6, confirmed the identity of the body. Some claimed after the incident that Bulu had jumped from the bridge. However, several eyewitnesses stated that the matter of jumping from the bridge was mysterious.

Even if it was suicide, it is essential to investigate why a journalist or any individual takes their own life. Many choose suicide due to personal despair. Behind personal despair also lie social, state and economic insecurity and uncertainty. And the suicide of a journalist, especially of a senior journalist, questions the state system in many ways. It also highlights the insecurity of the journalism profession itself.

Both incidents are ominous signs for Bangladesh’s media and social-state security. Instead of seeing them as isolated incidents, they must be thoroughly investigated. The administration and law enforcement agencies should be urged to give this matter swift and impartial attention. At the same time, our government must reflect that ensuring the safety of journalists is its absolute responsibility.