Pradip Kumar Bhowmick was a Sirajganj-based journalist, leader of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) and an organiser of Udichi Shilpi Goshthi.
The anti-government anarchists, mostly members of the BNP and Jamaat-Shibir, found him at the Raiganj Press Club in the afternoon on August 4 last year.
Just a while ago, they vandalised the nearby Awami League office as part of their non-cooperation programme.
They brought him outside the office and killed him by using sharp weapons and sticks.
Until then, Pradip was the fifth journalist killed since July 16.
He was the Raiganj correspondent of the daily Khobor Patra and joint general secretary of the press club. He had been involved in journalism for more than 30 years.
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On that day, at least 23 journalists were attacked in Dhaka, Manikganj, and Thakurgaon.
The CPB condemned the death of Pradip Bhowmick, who was the district unit member and general secretary of the Raiganj Upazila unit.
Saidur Rahman Bachchu, member of the BNP Central Executive Committee and General Secretary of Sirajganj District Unit, visited his house to console his family members in September.
Bachchu is the much-talked-about BNP leader who, during a party rally, admitted to having killed 17 police members at the Enayetpur police station on August 4.
Family in despair
Pradipโs family members alleged that, although applications were made for martyr recognition and government grants after his death, his name had not been included in any list until early July.
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His younger son, Sujan Kumar Bhowmick, told Bangla Tribune recently that after his mother died three years ago, his father was the only refuge for the family, though he had suffered a stroke two years ago.
Sujan was left speechless upon witnessing his father’s bloody body.
“We had no one else except him. Now we are spending our days in an inhumane manner.”
Sujan said they did not receive any government assistance.
Bashundhara Group’s Kaler Kantho newspaper authorities gave the family Tk 2 lakh, while the Journalist Welfare Trust gave Tk 1 lakh.
Now Sujan is now pursuing his father’s profession. He is a journalist.
He said: “I came to this profession because of my father’s inspiration. First, I worked at the Daily Sabuj Bangla. After my father’s death, I became the local correspondent of the daily Kaler Kantho.”
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