Toufique Imrose Khalidi

Toufique Imrose Khalidi is a Bangladeshi journalist, editor, media entrepreneur, and the owner and editor-in-chief of bdnews24.com.

Early life and education

Toufique Imrose Khalidi was born in Dhaka, Bangladesh. He earned both a B.A. (Hons) and an M.A. in English literature from the University of Dhaka. Khalidi serving as the general secretary of the university's English Literature Alumni Association for several years.

Career

Khalidi was news editor of The Daily Star in Bangladesh, and worked with the BBC World Service in London. He left the latter to return to Bangladesh and launch bdnews24.com in 2006. The outlet has focused on stories affecting underrepresented groups, with initiatives like the Prism project, helping young journalists to report stories from their communities.

Khalidi has contributed articles to international news outlets. Under Khalidi's leadership, bdnews24.com became the first publication in Asia to partner with The New York Times to jointly edit and publish its annual Turning Points magazine in Bangladesh. In 2018, Khalidi served as a panelist at the "Bangladesh Rising" conference at Harvard University, where he discussed the role of media in Bangladesh's economic and social development.

Legal issues

In 2020, legal authorities began investigating allegations of financial misconduct and graft against Khalidi. The case drew significant media attention, with supporters claiming the charges were politically motivated, aimed at stifling independent journalism in Bangladesh. On September 5, 2024, the court dismissed the case and acquitted Khalidi of all charges. Khalidi's treatment by the authorities drew broad criticism across Bangladeshi and international media, due to the unsubstantiated nature of the investigations.