Toufique Imrose Khalidi laid to rest

Toufique Imrose Khalidi, the editor-in-chief and publisher of bdnews24.com, was laid to rest at Mirpur Martyred Intellectuals’ Graveyard around 5pm on Saturday.

Earlier, his funeral prayers were held at the Banani Old DOHS Playground around 3:30pm. His remains were brought to the venue at 2:30pm, where friends, relatives, colleagues, well-wishers and representatives from different sections of society gathered to pay their last respects. Khalidi suddenly fell ill on the night of Oct 1 while on a personal visit to London.

President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir paid tribute to Toufique Imrose Khalidi. Brig Gen Mohammad Raisul Islam, the president’s assistant military secretary, laid flowers in tribute to Khalidi on behalf of the head of state. He also signed the condolence book on the president’s behalf. Khalidi suddenly fell ill on the night of Oct 1 while on a personal visit to London.

He was taken to St Bartholomew’s Hospital, where doctors diagnosed a brain haemorrhage. He was declared dead at 2:23pm local time the following day.

Funeral prayers were held at Brick Lane Mosque in East London after Zuhr prayers on Oct 8. Former colleagues and members of the local Bangladeshi community gathered there to pay their last respects. Khalidi’s remains arrived at Dhaka’s Shahjalal International Airport on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight on Saturday morning.

His coffin was then taken to the premises of bdnews24.com’s office in Mohakhali, a place Khalidi held dear. His remains stayed there from noon until 12:20pm, before being taken to his home, where family members and relatives saw him for the last time.