The tragic tale of Bangladeshi Journalism in Bibhuranjan’s last message

Some death news envelops people like a dense, cold fog. Some death news makes the rhythm of breathing longer and heavier. Some death news gathers steam inside the chest and truly makes it heavier. The news of journalist Bibhoranjan’s death felt much like this for Bangladeshi journalists. On Friday evening, before hearing the news of the death of this accomplished journalist, I was carefully reading his last ‘open letter’. In that letter, he laid bare a cruel picture of Bangladesh’s journalism. At the farewell of ending his life, he pointed out with his finger at how this world is full of brotherhood illusions, hollow, over-emotional, and unprofessional. Where, bit by bit, the lives of many journalists are being destroyed.

In that ‘open letter’ there is also a cruel picture of how a person’s life becomes unbearable in the face of political changes. After reading the ‘open letter’, I thought, surely Bibhoranjan da is still among us! With all my heart I prayed that the man would not be lost. My prayer did not work. Most likely, long before the publication of this letter, bypassing the prayers of wife, children, family, relatives, and colleagues, journalist Bibhoranjan Sarkar was found in the waters of the Meghna.

The final testimony of life, the ‘open letter’, was sent by Bibhoranjan Sarkar to an online portal on 21 August at 9:15 in the morning. In its message, he wrote, “You may publish this as my last writing in life.” That writing was published online on 22 August at 5:23 in the evening. This farewell message, which struck deep into the heart, revealed the bare, painful and tragic state of Bangladesh’s journalism profession. It is something that must be taken seriously. Because we may not know that in Bangladesh’s journalism profession many may be planning to embrace death after writing an ‘open letter’ like Bibhoranjan Sarkar. The responsibility to prevent these deaths belongs to the state, society, and all of us.

‘Living by writing, the truth is, not easy’
In his last writing, journalist Bibhoranjan Sarkar gave immortality to a sentence. That line will be discussed for a long time in Bangladesh’s journalistic sphere. ‘Living by writing the truth is not easy’—this sentence of only five words once again brought forward the question of independence of journalism and journalists in Bangladesh. This was not supposed to happen in a new Bangladesh after the mass uprising. Why must a journalist suffocate and die in a new Bangladesh free of dictatorship just for expressing his opinion? In his last letter, Bibhoranjan portrayed the journalism of post-uprising Bangladesh. In his words, the condition of the media has become ‘even more exhausted’. He also mentioned the chief adviser. Nobel laureate Professor Yunus had promised freedom to speak openly and to criticise. Referring to that, Bibhoranjan expressed deep regret over the press department of the interim government.

In his last writing he wrote, “Those who hold executive responsibilities in the media are always living in fear. At any time, a phone call may come about some report or writing. One must withdraw the report or writing! For one of my writings, the online section of ‘Ajker Patrika’ was shown red eyes. For one of Majharul Islam Babla’s writings, there was also uproar.” That writing had matters like Sheikh Hasina’s Delhi visit, killings by meticulous design, and so on. It goes without saying such matters would not please the current power structure. While working independently in the editorial department of his last workplace, ‘Ajker Patrika’, Bibhoranjan Sarkar was severely harassed and humiliated. Even the acting editor of ‘Ajker Patrika’ stopped talking to him. In his last message, by calling that ignoring editor a ‘gentleman’, he wrote that the gentleman acting editor was ‘under pressure’. So, is it too hard to know and recognise who or what exerted that pressure?

The tragic tale of financial uncertainty
Bibhoranjan Sarkar’s journalism career was quite long. He spent his whole life in journalism. His last workplace, ‘Ajker Patrika’, he had been with for four years. There his salary did not increase, nor was there promotion. At his workplace there was extreme salary discrimination. According to him, the salary of his departmental head at ‘Ajker Patrika’ was almost double his. After a lifetime in journalism, Bibhoranjan Sarkar faced extreme financial hardship. In his last message he wrote, “If I had got a departmental head’s job with that salary in my last workplace, perhaps I would not have had to choose the profession of living on regular debt just to run my family! Excluding all other expenses, my own medicine cost alone was 20–22 thousand taka per month. Not exaggerated, perhaps I said a little less! I had arthritis, liver cirrhosis, diabetes, heart disease and many more illnesses! For arthritis and liver treatment I had to borrow heavily. My son is also sick; he too has regular medical expenses. So, there is no way without debt.”

Just think once, what terrible financial hardship and despair journalist Bibhoranjan Sarkar had to live through. Not only that, he also exposed another naked reality of Bangladeshi journalism. Many news outlets in Bangladesh do not pay any honorarium for writings, or they delay the payment unimaginably. They do not value the writer. Mentioning that, he wrote, “I have written thousands of pieces under name and without name. But I received very little honorarium. Some papers, even after years of writing, did not feel the need to pay a single taka. In that respect, online platforms are far better. From a large online, I still have a big amount of money due.”

The news outlets that owe large sums to Bibhoranjan Sarkar may now, out of regret and humanity, pay that money. But had he received that money some time ago, perhaps his life would have been saved.

Harsh reality and horror of tagging in post-uprising Bangladesh
Since the political change in Bangladesh on 5 August, 2024, there have been many upheavals. In that continuity, while many criminals and miscreants are facing various punishments, many others are falling victim to horrific mob violence and communal discrimination. Many are facing serious human rights violations daily. In many cases, beyond rules, discipline and rationality, limitless anarchy has appeared. In his last letter, Bibhoranjan Sarkar depicted that changed reality. Which had made his life hard.

He wrote, “Only because of my unwavering stand for the Liberation War and secular democratic politics, I am still given the ‘Awami tag’. But even in Awami times I did not get any real reward. I did not get a plot, nor a good job. Rather I remained unemployed for a long time and the burden of debt increased. Health problems along with family responsibilities kept me constantly under pressure.” He also raised, with resentment, the horrific negative situation his children were facing in jobs, examinations and other fields in the new Bangladesh. A situation that cannot be denied.

The frightening picture of opportunism in journalism
In his last writing, journalist Bibhoranjan Sarkar also exposed another negative side of Bangladesh’s journalism profession. During the authoritarian Sheikh Hasina’s rule, many journalists swelled up like banana trees. They earned crores of taka. They built businesses, bought land and property. Some even earned heavily by writing books of praise. But though he stood for the Liberation War and practised professional journalism, he never came under Sheikh Hasina’s favour. Even when he sought help, he failed. Yet many of his fellow journalists are now well-off. Many own houses and cars. Many have children studying in Europe and America. The picture he left at the end of his professional journalist life is truly frightening.

As a journalist, Bibhoranjan Sarkar kept reciting a maxim all his life. He sincerely believed journalism means courage. Revealing truth means risking life. In his last writing he wrote, “To write the truth sometimes one has to lose personal comfort. I never wanted such comfort. But I also never wanted to have to stretch my hand throughout life.”

In his last writing he described himself as a very small man. He even showed respect to the malice of others. But the picture of Bangladeshi journalism he left at his departure is truly terrifying, bloodcurdling. Bangladesh’s journalism sphere needs reform, needs thorough change. Otherwise, in the near future, we will see the fate of many more Bibhoranjan Sarkars. That no journalist should ever face the fate of Bibhoranjan Sarkar—this must be the desire. Under no circumstances.

Rahat Minhaz: Assistant Professor, Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, Jagannath University, Dhaka