Senior journalist Ali Mahmud passes away

Ali Mahmud, city editor of the daily Dinkal, died of a heart attack yesterday. He was 69.

According to family members, he did not return home on Sunday night, prompting concern among relatives. His wife, Jesmin Ara, along with other family members, went to the Jatiya Press Club yesterday in search of him.

After waiting there for some time, a member of the cleaning staff informed them that Ali Mahmud had been found lying unconscious in a washroom at the club.

Police later took him to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

Ali Mahmud is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter.

Born in 1956 in Paba upazila of Rajshahi, he began his journalism career after graduating from Rajshahi University. His first workplace was the Rajshahi-based daily Barta. He later moved to Dhaka and joined Dinkal, where he worked for many years in several key positions. He was serving as city editor at the time of his death.

He was a permanent member of the Jatiya Press Club, Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) and Dhaka Journalists Union (DUJ). He was also associated with the BNP’s media cell.

News of his death cast a pall of grief over the journalist community, particularly among his colleagues at Dinkal. Fellow journalists described him as humble, sincere and a committed professional who remained active in reporting throughout his career.

In separate statements, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Media Cell Convener Professor Maudud Hossain Alamgir Pavel, Member Secretary Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, and BNP Chairperson’s Press Secretary Saleh Shibli expressed shock and sorrow at his death and extended sympathy to the bereaved family.