Bangladeshi Journalist Mishuk Munier 1959 - 2011

With his sad demise my heart is aching and aching bad. I would like to say so many things but do not know where to start from. Flashbacks are vivid, fast and sweet. I am trying to write about a person larger than life.

I knew him from the time they lived at the Nilkhet staff quarters. His elder brother Bhashon was a friend of mine. Bhashon took good care of both his younger brothers. Mishuk also took good care of the little one, like a toy to play with. Their father had died in the liberation war and Bhashon tried to fill in the gap. They were a very friendly bunch, including their mother. As I remember, Mishuk mostly had a sweet smile and was always joyous, intelligence oozed out. He is one lad I knew who was so well-groomed that to me he was second to none. He never lost sight of respecting elders irrespective of social status. His mannerism was impeccable. He vibrated with a lot of energy, life and vision. Took very keen interest in anything he felt for. A lad, who seldom looked behind, was always positively seeing things and going forward.

Last summer I was in Toronto. I went into a Bangali shop for some tit- bits. Suddenly, I heard my name called from behind. I turned to see a known face but could not recollect the name. I never imagined seeing Mishuk there in my wildest dreams. It was a pleasant surprise. There he was, tall, dark and outstandingly handsome and with that same innocent smile. That lad was now a man with grey hair, big mustaches and it was looking good on him too. It was like an old man, Mishuk fitted into a young body. It was a wonderful moment to see him there and that he recognised me from behind was a joy for me. It only goes on to reflect how much love and respect he had for me to remember me after so many years, and in a foreign land.

We had coffee together with some of his acquaintances and recollected the good old days. He even got me connected with Bhashon (who was at that time in New York). It was one of the good days I spent in Toronto.

Today when I saw the news of his accident on the TV, my breath almost stopped, my heart was sinking. I never experienced this feeling before. I wanted to scream at the top of my voice and say that it was not true. He is not my brother or a blood relation but I felt I lost somebody very dear to me.

I am sure many like me felt the same way. He was a very lovable and respectable young lad. I will always have him in my prayers and I am sure many more will also pray for him for a long time. I am a man of inadequate vocabulary to use to give solace to the bereaved family, but I pray to Allah that

He be kind to the family and give them courage to accept his untimely death and so that they can move on in life as he did after losing his father. Amen.

Coming to the issue of road accidents; it is not something new in that spot or other places. Many people have died at that spot. Unfortunately for this country, so far no politician has taken the matter up in the right earnestness. When the world is doing research to improve the standard of living, the politicians and the people with power in this country are busy making money.

When will some sense dawn upon them to do the right thing? This is a small country with lovely people, why don't the people in the government want to do good to this country? Interestingly, they do not refrain from tall talks. How much money does one need in the grave? Mishuk went with none in his wallet but with a lot of Doa to place in front of Allah (SWT).

It is not a wild thought to have expressways connecting the districts. It is also not an impossibility to have elevated highways. If the government is worried about funds, take highway surcharge like the Jamuna surcharge and build the roads and help reduce these accidents. The guy pinched only knows how much it hurts.

May Allah rest his soul in peace along with his companions and give courage and patience to his family to put up with the loss. Amen.

SM Nasimul Haque

Our dearest friend and colleague Mishuk Munier died in a tragic car crash on Saturday in Bangladesh. He was working with the renowned filmmaker Tareq Masud​ who was also killed in the accident along with three others.

Mishuk was a brother to all of us at The Real News. We called him TRNN employee 001. He was the first person to work with me on the project, starting in 2004. He fought tirelessly and was a critical reason why TRNN became a reality.

Mishuk had recently taken up a new job in Bangladesh, partly to be closer to his mother. We saw him only two weeks ago in New York. He was excited about building a TV news channel in his homeland and exploring new technology, his second passion after documentary film. I remember his smile so vividly as he told us about his new adventures. One consolation is we had the chance to give him a hug and kiss before we lost him.

We all loved Mishuk. He was a man of great integrity, profound social conscience and with a deep love for people. We extend our deepest condolences to his wife and son. Monjuli and Shurid are part of our extended family, and they always will be.

Sometime soon, we will join the family in holding a memorial service in Toronto with Mishuk's many friends and colleagues. For now, if you have messages for the family, we will pass them on.

Mishuk died doing what he loved most. In the field, shooting a documentary film. Our hearts our broken, he will be greatly missed.

Paul Jay

Bangladeshi Journalist Shahriar Kabir

Shahriar Kabir (Bengali: শাহরিয়ার কবীর) is a Bangladesh Awamileague Supported Bangladeshi journalist, filmmaker, human rights activist, and author of more than 70 books focusing on human rights, communalism, fundamentalism, history, and the Bangladesh war of independence.

Shahriar Kabir has been imprisoned twice for engaging with anti state position. He is the recipient of numerous awards for his contribution to Bengali literature, he has addressed at least sixty international conferences, seminars, and workshops on issues of peace, communal harmony, and human rights.

'Early Life' Mr. Kabir after completing his schooling in 1968 with Higher Secondary Certificate in 1968 and formal education in 1971 Mr. Kabir began his journalist career. As a freedom fighter he participated in our liberation-war against the Pakistani occupation force in 1971. After liberation of Bangladesh from Pakistani occupation force Shahriar joined ‘Vichitra’ group- a left leaning Marxism based liberal group formed centering a popular Weekly Magazine called ‘Vichitra’ in 1972. There he served as a member of the editorial board ending with Executive Editor in 1992. He was a regular contributor not only of his own Magazine of all important dailies and earned reputation as an analytical and critical columnist. His critical articles created a host friends amongst the humanist liberal and secular circles but equal number of enemies in the establishment as well as among the fundamentalists and communalists.

'Championing the cause of Trial of War criminals' As Shahriar was exposing himself as a BAL supported humanist and activist against human rights violation through his writings exposing the ugly desire and design of seizing power by fundamentalist forces to turn secular-liberal democratic Bangladesh into a theocratic state based on fundamental Islamic principles he became one of the principal target of the Islamite force in Bangladesh. Consequentsty as the part of government side to tackle Bangladesh Jammat Islami, a traditional and democratic political party, started Championing.

This action of trying the accused collaborators in a public tribunal by passing the government system of judiciary antagonized the government of Khaleda Begum. This is because the party in power BNP since its formation in early eighties by late Zia ur Rahman, an army general of Bangladesh army, and sector commander in our liberation war in 1972 was harbouring good relations with the Islamic parties including the Jamaat e Islami. In fact General Zia after assuming power rehabilitated the fundamentalists in the body politic of Bangladesh. Golum Azam was brought back by his initiative, and later on the government of Khaleda Begum did everything to return citizenship to Mr. Azam. It was therefore no wonder that public trial of Mr. Azam was taken seriously by the Khaleda government, which was at that time trying to protect the interest of the Jamat chief. All elite of the society involved in the proceedings of the trial including Mr. Shahriar Kabir were arrested by Khaleda government in nineties with sedition charge- all of them were termed as anti-state elements. Al though these elite citizens were harassed in public but were not put behind the bar as the learned high court granted bails to them. The case was finally dropped after a couple of years when a new caretaker government came to power under a retired chief justice replacing the BNP government which was forced to resign because of mass uprising against it.