Police said Pulak’s death appeared to be linked to his health struggles and unemployment-related stress,
Our Correspondent, Dhaka
Senior Bangladeshi journalist Pulak Chatterjee, a former Barishal bureau chief of Bengali daily Samakal, was found dead inside the newspaper’s bureau office in Barishal district on Friday (Sep 11) evening.
The 57-year-old journalist was found hanging inside the office located on Parara Road in Barishal city. Police said they recovered five handwritten notes from the spot, including messages addressed to his wife, daughter, brother, colleagues and the administration.
In one of the notes addressed to his daughter Prakriti, Pulak reportedly wrote “forgive me” and urged her to continue her studies and music lessons. He also asked his wife Priyanka to stay with his younger brother Dipak Chatterjee, saying that he would take care of them.
Barishal Metropolitan Police Commissioner Abu Raihan Muhammad Saleh said the notes indicated that Pulak had been suffering from prolonged illness and financial distress. Police said the matter was being investigated and the exact cause of death would be confirmed after the autopsy report.
According to police, a journalist informed Barishal Kotwali Model Police Station around 6.30 pm that the door of the Samakal bureau office was locked from inside. A police team reached the spot around 6.45 pm and broke open the door, where they found Pulak’s body inside the office.
Police later sent the body to the morgue of Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital around 9 pm for autopsy.
In one of the notes, Pulak reportedly mentioned his long battle with illness and said he had tried several treatments, including consulting doctors in Vellore, India, but his health condition did not improve. He also requested authorities to hand over his body to his family without causing them any difficulties.
The journalist had served as the Barishal bureau chief of Samakal and was dismissed from the newspaper in May 2023. His colleagues said that after losing his job, he often visited the bureau office and remained worried about his financial situation and health problems.
Barishal Press Club vice-president Zakir Hossain said Pulak had been deeply distressed after losing his job and had often spoken about his struggles. He said Pulak felt he had not received the professional respect he deserved and had also not received some pending dues from Samakal.
Pulak was a senior figure in Barishal’s journalism community. He had previously worked with Bangladeshi newspaper Jugantor for several years and served as the general secretary of the Barishal Press Club. At the time of his death, he was a member of the press club’s executive committee.
One of the notes was addressed to his longtime colleague Suman Chowdhury, the current in-charge of the Samakal Barishal bureau. Pulak reportedly expressed regret for causing him distress and requested him to help recover any pending dues from the newspaper and hand them over to his family.
He also wrote to Barishal Press Club General Secretary S M Zakir Hossain, requesting him to ensure that his body was handed over to his family without harassment and to occasionally look after his wife and daughter.
Police said Pulak’s death appeared to be linked to his health struggles and unemployment-related stress, based on the notes recovered from the scene. His death has left Barishal’s journalist community in shock.