Saleem Samad, a renowned investigative journalist, author, and advocate for media rights, passed away yesterday while receiving treatment at Bangladesh Medical College Hospital in Dhanmondi. He had been battling cancer, as confirmed by his family.
A respected member of the Jatiya Press Club, Saleem had previously worked as a special correspondent for prominent English newspapers such as The News Times, The Bangladesh Observer, and The Asian Age. His first funeral prayer, known as namaz-e-janaza, took place at the Jatiya Press Club around 2:30pm, followed by a second service at Dhaka Reporters Unity at 3:00pm. Subsequently, he was laid to rest at the family burial ground in Mirpur-11.
Born in Dhaka in 1952, Saleem attended Shaheen School before pursuing his undergraduate studies at Jagannath College in 1976. He furthered his education by obtaining a master’s degree from Colorado State University in the US in 1994.
In a distressing turn of events on November 29, 2002, Saleem was detained on sedition charges, where he disclosed experiencing physical abuse during his time in custody. He was eventually released after spending approximately 50 days in prison.
Taking to Facebook on October 7, Saleem revealed his forced departure from the country in 2004, only to return six years later. His impactful writings were published in renowned international outlets such as TIME magazine, India Today, Outlook (India), and South Asia magazine (Pakistan).
Apart from his journalism pursuits, Saleem actively engaged in training and guiding local journalists in Bangladesh on matters of social development. He also conducted workshops focusing on environmental and developmental journalism for journalists across South Asia, including Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
Throughout his career, Saleem served as a media expert for various organizations, notably the US-based Academy for Educational Development (AED), the Environment and Social Development Organisation (ESDO), the Bangladesh Centre for Development, Journalism, and Communication (BCDJC), the Bangladesh Human Rights Journalists Forum (BMSF), and the Forum of Environmental Journalists of Bangladesh (FEJB).