Tahir Jaman Priyo: Remembering a loved one who was dear to all

Tahir Jaman Priyo was someone everyone loved. I hadn’t seen much of his work before, but after he was gone, I looked at what he had done, and it hit me – he had made a real difference in his own way. 

Talking to people who knew him, I realized just how much Priyo meant to everyone around him. 

On Saturday, at TheReport.Live office, his mother, Shamsi Ara Jaman, shared such heartfelt memories of her son.

Shamsi Ara Jaman said, “He was finally getting his life together. He had enrolled his daughter in school, and he was about to start a new job in Dhaka. He had big dreams. Now, my dream is to raise his little child. I want a world where children like him can grow up healthy and happy.”

When talking about Priyo, his mother shared, “He loved reading, always staying updated on what was happening in the world. He was never afraid to speak out against injustice. He even dreamed of making films one day.”

Shamsi Ara Jaman recalled a heartbreaking moment when she was about to leave for Dhaka. 

Priyo’s daughter, Padmapriya Parmita, was in tears, saying, “I want to be with my dear father. I want to bring him back. He doesn’t carry me on his shoulders anymore.”

She continued, “She tells everyone that her dear father has passed away, but sometimes she just doesn’t quite understand that he’s really gone.” 

As she spoke about her son and grandson, her voice cracked with emotion.

Tahir Jaman Priyo, who worked as a video journalist for TheReport.Live, tragically lost his life during clashes on July 19 in Dhaka, while covering protests for government job quota reforms. 

Priyo had also been actively following and documenting various other protests as a freelance journalist.

His colleagues from TheReport.Live came together to remember him, filling the office with stories and memories. 

By midday, the office was filled with people who had worked with him and admired him.

Amirul Rajib, a photographer and curator, remembered Priyo as someone who seemed disorganized at times, but with a unique sense of purpose. 

He said, “Priyo might have seemed messy on the outside, but he probably gave everything to try and make this country better. That’s the kind of person he was.”

Rajib also praised Priyo’s artistic talent, recalling, “Priyo had a natural gift. I’m sure many people didn’t know, but he was a fantastic artist. He didn’t have formal training, but he taught himself to draw. His work was deep, and it amazed us all. I remember asking him how he learned, and he simply said, ‘I just figured it out.’”

Rajib shared how, during Priyo’s internship, his work was so impressive that people immediately bought several of his paintings. 

“I told him, ‘Artists from the fine arts community struggle to sell their work, but you – you’re able to sell your paintings.’ He was that gifted."

While doing his journalistic work, Priyo was also injured during a political protest on October 28. 

On January 10 of this year, Priyo shared an emotional post on social media, using a photo of his daughter Padmapriya Parmita as his profile picture. 

In the post, he wrote, “This is my daughter. She turned four today. Tomorrow, a new chapter begins in her life. She’s starting school. As her father and mother, I carry the responsibility of both. I’m a single father, and I hope our future will be bright, InshaAllah. Please pray for my little girl.”

Priyo had a passion for creative work – whether it was drawing, photography, or reviewing films and TV shows. 

He had completed a diploma in Professional Photography from Pathshala, the South Asian Media Institute.

Priyo had only left TheReport.Live five months ago. He had worked with the organization twice: first as a photojournalist in January 2021 and then as a video journalist, before leaving in February 2024.

One of his former colleagues, Al Amin Tushar from Samaa TV, reflected on Priyo’s talent, saying, “I don’t think any media house in Bangladesh could fully use Priyo’s skills. He was incredibly talented and sharp.”

Tushar recalled how Priyo was great with a camera and loved drawing. “He was always a chatterbox, but more than anything, he was a dreamer. He had a big ambition to make films about his country.”

Another colleague, Faruk Hossain, remembered Priyo’s kindness, saying, “I’ve never heard of him fighting with anyone. He was always smiling. He was loved by everyone, just like his name, ‘Priyo.’ He had this special way of making people feel close to him. He had the ability to love and be loved.”

Priyo’s untimely death left a void in the lives of those who knew him, but his legacy lives on through his work and the positive impact he had on everyone around him.