The home of Bibhuranjan Sarkar was shrouded in grief on Saturday afternoon as his body was brought to his rented apartment, ‘Apsara,’ in Siddheshwari, Dhaka, around 5:15 PM.
Family members, including his wife Shefali Sarkar, broke down in tears upon seeing the renowned journalist’s lifeless body. Friends, colleagues, and relatives gathered at the residence, mourning the sudden loss.
Sharif Uddin Ahmed, president of Khelaghar, expressed his sorrow, stating, “We were admirers of his writings. The departure of such a distinguished journalist is hard to accept.”
Bibhuranjan’s sister, Bharati Sarkar, who traveled from Bogura, was in disbelief, saying, “I still don’t know how my brother died.” His brother, Chiraranjan Sarkar, shared that the body would be taken to Bardeshwari Kalimata Temple in Basabo for the last rites.
The hearse carrying Bibhuranjan’s body later departed for Basabo.
Asaduzzaman Mukul, a family friend and banker, said, “We grew up reading Bibhuranjan’s work. His columns in Jayajaydin under the pseudonym ‘Tarikh Ibrahim’ were captivating. The way such a brilliant journalist met his end, and the open letter he left behind, should make us reflect on the state of journalism. Why is such a vital profession in such distress?”
The 71-year-old Bibhuranjan left his home on Thursday morning, saying he was heading to the office, but went missing thereafter.
His body was recovered from the Meghna River in Munshiganj on Friday afternoon. After an autopsy at Munshiganj 250-Bed General Hospital on Saturday, his body was brought back to Dhaka.
A regular columnist for various outlets Bibhuranjan sent his final article to bdnews24.com at 9:15 AM on Thursday. In a footnote, he wrote, “You may publish this as my final piece.”
Titled “Open Letter,” the article, published on Friday, detailed his struggles with personal and family health issues, his daughter’s failure in a senior government exam despite being a public servant, his BUET-educated son’s unemployment, and his own financial hardships.
Family sources revealed that Bibhuranjan left his mobile phone at home when he departed on Thursday.
When he did not return, and no information was found, his son, Rit Sarkar, filed a General Diary (GD) at Ramna Police Station on Thursday night, stating that his father left for the office at 10 AM but never returned.
