WE in free Bangladesh mourn the 47th death of veteran journalist Tofazzal Hossain Manik Mia today who symbolised the power of press to mobilise public awareness for freedom and good governance. His personal columns in The Daily Ittefaq as its founder-editor were the most popular and powerful both to the people and the government. He was able to establish journalism as force to reckon with by the government. Yet enjoyed all round respectability for his personal honesty and honest journalism.
Manik Mia used journalism and particularly his political column ‘Musafir’ to establish Awami League as the party of democracy under the leadership first of Mr H.S Suhrawardy, then Bangabandhu. It is undoubtedly recognised that he suffered imprisonment and closures of his newspaper, but he remained unwavered and undeterred to his commitment for the cause of democracy and the people’s rights.
But we have to say sadly that his dream for a democratic Bangladesh is precariously at risks today as democracy is losing direction and people’s rights and liberties for which the people fought the bloody Liberation War are waning.
Manik Mia believed in Mr H.S. Suhrawardy, the founder of Awami League and his politics of democracy. Mr Suhrawardy was his inspiration and hope for the cause he was espousing. Manik Mia was Bangabandhu’s most dear Manik Bhai.
He not only founded The Daily Ittefaq, he also led the way of publishing The New Nation as an independent English newspaper to join in the struggle for democracy and upholding the rights of the masses.
The whole idea of his struggle was against autocracy and for freedom. But he would have mostly pained to see journalists are not keen to be independent for their role as journalist. Because he knew that the true journalists are the peoples force and not party followers.
