Editorial
We mourn Ataus Samad's demise
He will be remembered for his journalistic qualities
We are saddened by the passing away of the veteran journalist Ataus Samad who, through his fearless reportage in times of the country's acute political crises, had brought in a journalistic trend marked by honesty, authenticity and above all, a vision. We express our deep condolence to the bereaved family.
Ataus Samad was a true journalist. Although he was versatile, his forte was reporting. In his illustrious journalistic career spanning five decades, he upheld objectivity and authenticity. Seen from this angle, he belonged to one of the vanishing breeds of journalists. In reporting, he believed in rushing to the spot first in order to gain first-hand knowledge and then seek out the truth with utmost diligence.
A witness to all our progressive political movements, he reported courageously during the country's most remarkable upheavals and convulsions, including the mass uprising in 1969 and the liberation war in 1971, when journalists were among the most vulnerable species in the eyes of Pakistani junta. He was also a major catalyst in garnering public support for the anti-Ershad movement in 1990. For his unrelenting reportage from a hide-out during Ershad's military rule, he was eventually incarcerated.
Relentless in his quest for truth, he engaged himself in a lifelong war against dictatorship to uphold democracy and human rights. In addition to political reporting, he was also efficient in social and human stories. His editorial excellence also deserves mention.
Equally adept in both English and Bangla, he demonstrated journalistic virtues and qualities that are worthy of emulation by the new genre of journalists. With his demise, we have lost not only a competent journalist but also a true professional dedicated to the causes of the people.
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