Police have recovered the body of senior assistant editor and columnist of the daily 'Ajaker Patrika'; Bibhuranjan Sarkar (71) from the Meghna River in Munshiganj, a day after he went missing.

Masud Alam, deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Ramna Division, confirmed the recovery at 5:44pm on Friday.

Upon receiving the news, Bibhuranjan's wife, son, and brother Chiranjan Sarkar, along with other family members, left for Munshiganj. Later in the evening, they reached Munshiganj General Hospital and identified the body.

Bibhuranjan Sarkar's younger brother Chiranjan Sarkar said, "I am coming to Munshiganj to pick up my brother. The body will be handed over to us after the postmortem on Saturday afternoon."

Earlier, Members of the Kalagachhia Naval Police Outpost recovered his body floating in the Meghna River in the Charbalaki area of ​​Gazaria at around 3 pm on Friday (August 22).

Saleh Ahmed Pathan, in-charge (inspector) of Kalagachhia Naval Police Outpost in Narayanganj, said, "On Friday afternoon, the body of a man over 60 was found floating in the Meghna River in Kalagachhia area. Naval police quickly went to the scene, recovered the body and sent it to the morgue of Munshiganj General Hospital for autopsy."

He also said that during the post-mortem report, no signs of injury were found on his body. The body was floating face down in the river. His glasses were hanging around his neck.

He further said, "After comparing the photo of Bibhuranjan given by his family with the GD filed at Ramna Police Station, Munshiganj District Police confirmed the matter to Ramna Police Station."

Saiful Islam, a local resident of Charbalaki area, told our time, "On Friday, I left my house to go to the mosque to prepare for Friday prayers. On the way, I saw a person's body floating in the canal leading from the Meghna River to our market. The body was upside down. When I returned from the prayers, I saw a crowd of excited people. Later, we reported the matter to the police.

In this regard, Masud Alam, Deputy Commissioner of Ramna Division of Police, said, "A body was found in the Meghna River. We have confirmed it. After his family went to identify him, the next legal process was completed."

Bibhuranjan Sarkar left Siddheshwari's house in the capital on Thursday morning, saying he was going to the office on Thursday (August 21). He left his personal mobile phone and tablet at home when he left the house.

CCTV footage showed him leaving his house and coming to Fortune Market in Malibagh, the capital. After some time, he boarded a bike from there. He has been missing since then.

Meanwhile, he was supposed to return home by 5 pm. Later, when he did not return home even at 9 pm, his son Rit Sarkar went to the office of the 'dainik ajker' newspaper in Banasree and contacted the acting editor Kamrul Hasan to find out that he (Bibhuranjan Sarkar) did not go to the office. He has taken a seven-day leave since August 16.

After searching various places but finding no information about him, his son Rit Sarkar filed a general diary (GD) with Ramna Police Station on Thursday night. Ramna Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Golam Faruk confirmed the GD to the media on Friday (August 22) night.

Bibhuranjan Sarkar's son Rit Sarkar told this reporter, "Father, in addition to serving as the senior assistant editor of 'Aajker Patrika', used to write regular columns in various media outlets. He was on a seven-day leave from work since August 16."

Bibhuranjan Sarkar's brother Chiranjan Sarkar told this reporter, "On Friday afternoon, we came to know through the OC of Ramna Police Station that a body of a person was found in the Meghna River. Later, after seeing the picture, we suspected that it could be the body of our grandfather. Now we are completely sure that it is the body of our grandfather."

He further said, "We don't know anything about how such an incident happened, whether it was suicide or murder, or whether it was premeditated. All I can say is, it should be such that no one suffers."

Born in Panchagarh in 1954, Bibhuranjan Sarkar started working as a district correspondent for the Daily Azad while he was still in school in the late 1960s. Later, he studied in the Bengali department of Dhaka University.

In his long journalistic career, he has worked for various national dailies and weeklies. He served as the editor of the Daily Matribhumi, the weekly Chaltipatra, and the executive editor of the weekly Mridubhasan. During the anti-Ershad movement in the 1980s, his political articles written under the pseudonym 'Tarikh Ibrahim' in the weekly Jaya Zay Din became popular with readers.

Bibhuranjan Sarkar was an active member of the Bangladesh Chhatra Union during his student life. Later, he also served as the deputy general secretary of the central committee. He was also an activist of the Bangladesh Communist Party.

His published books include 'Circular Politics', 'The Politics of Blame', 'Awami League Hopes and Fears', 'Different Thoughts, Different Opinions', and 'Who is Better Than Who'.

The list of books he edited includes - 'Kibria Memorial Speech', 'Farmer Leader Hatem Ali Khan', 'Monayem Sarkar When He Was in Exile'.

Bibhuranjan lived in the Siddheshwari area of ​​the capital with his wife, a son, and a daughter.

Meanwhile, Bibhuranjan Sarkar, senior assistant editor and columnist of 'Ajakker Patrika', emailed an article to bdnews24.com at 9:15 am on Thursday.

In the footnote, he wrote, 'You can print this as the last writing of your life. 'I am Bibhuranjan Sarkar, working in the editorial department of the daily 'Aajker Patrika'. My association with journalism is more than five decades. I have witnessed various changes, movements, mass movements and political ups and downs in the country. For this long time, I have written for the truth, for the people, for the country. But today, when I look at my own life, I feel that it is not easy to live by writing the truth.'

His article was published on bdnews24.com on Friday.

In the article titled 'Open Letter', he wrote about his and his son's illness, the medically passed government official's daughter's 'failure' in the higher exams, the 'not getting a job' of his son who passed from BUET, and his own financial plight.

In addition, this published article has revealed a sad reflection of the current media. In the harsh reality, he realized - 'How can newspapers stand for justice when there is irregularities within the house.'

He also understood, 'It is not easy to live by writing the truth.' Yes, this is destiny! Thousands of honest journalists who have to die in vain, constantly struggling with poverty, while remaining honest throughout their lives.

He left with immense sorrow, sadness, disappointment and immense pride until the moment of his death, having been deeply devoted to the state and journalism. On behalf of the 'The Finance Today' family, we express our deep condolences and humble respect on the untimely demise of this unique pen warrior. May you rest in peace.