Pulak Chatterjee’s Five Notes Go Viral

Police have recovered five suicide notes following the death of Pulak Chatterjee, former Barishal bureau chief of Daily Samakal and a journalist. Separate notes were addressed to his wife and daughter, younger brother and sister-in-law, the general secretary of Barishal Press Club, a longtime colleague and the administration. A note addressed to his wife Priyanka and daughter Prakriti has drawn particular attention on social media.

On Saturday, September 12, police said Pulak Chatterjee’s body was recovered from the Samakal bureau office on Parara Road in Barishal on Friday evening. The body was later sent to the morgue of Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital. Barishal Metropolitan Police Commissioner Abu Rayhan Muhammad Saleh said the notes were found beside the body and that the incident was under investigation.

In the note addressed to his wife Priyanka and daughter Prakriti, Pulak apologized and advised his daughter to continue her studies and music lessons. He also asked his younger brother Dipak to remain beside his wife and daughter. The emotional note has since spread widely on social media, with many users sharing it and expressing condolences to the family.

In his note to the administration, Pulak said that he did not hold anyone responsible for his death. He referred to his prolonged physical illness and said he had made extensive efforts to recover, including receiving treatment in Vellore, India. He also wrote that his illness had affected his social and normal life.

He requested the administration to hand over his body to his family without harassment.

In a note addressed to S. M. Zakir Hossain, general secretary of Barishal Press Club, Pulak recalled their long association and asked him to help ensure that the body was handed over to the family without unnecessary complications. He also requested him to occasionally check on his wife and daughter Prakriti. He further requested that an autopsy not be conducted.

In a note addressed to his younger brother Dipak and Dipak’s wife Iti, Pulak asked them to look after Priyanka and Prakriti. He apologized for placing a major responsibility on his brother. He also mentioned his Liberation War allowance and bank account and asked Dipak to discuss the matter with Debashish and take necessary steps.

In his note to Suman Chowdhury, his longtime colleague and the journalist currently responsible for the Daily Samakal Barishal bureau, Pulak referred to their nearly 15 years of working together. He apologized if he had ever caused him pain and asked him to recover any outstanding dues from Samakal and hand the money over to his wife.

Local residents found Pulak’s body at the Samakal bureau office on Parara Road on Friday evening. Police later arrived at the scene and recovered the body from the office. At around 9pm, the body was sent to the morgue of Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital.

Pulak Chatterjee had served as the Barishal bureau chief of Daily Samakal. He was dismissed from the newspaper in May 2023. People familiar with him said he had been struggling with frustration since then and would occasionally visit the Samakal office.

Pulak was also a former general secretary and a senior member of the current executive committee of the Barishal Press Club. His death has cast a shadow of grief over the local journalist community.
//DBTech/FBP/SME/MIST//