Samakal pays Tk10 lakh in arrears three days after Pulak Chatterjee’s death

Samakal has paid Tk10 lakh in outstanding dues to the family of its former Barishal bureau chief Pulak Chatterjee, three days after the senior journalist was found dead at the newspaper’s office.

The money was deposited into the bank account of his wife, Priyanka Chatterjee, yesterday (14 September), according to Suman Chowdhury, the current Barishal bureau chief of Samakal.

Notably, police recovered the hanging body of 57-year-old Pulak from inside the Samakal office on Parara Road in Barishal city on Friday evening (11 September).

Pulak previously served as general secretary of the Barishal Press Club and was active in the city’s media sector for many years. Pulak was relieved from Samakal in May 2023 and remained unemployed afterwards. Relatives said he was in deep emotional distress during this period.

Before his death, Pulak reportedly left behind five notes. In one addressed to his long-time colleague Suman, he requested that his outstanding dues kept at the Samakal office be recovered and handed over to his family.

He is survived by his wife Priyanka and only daughter Prakriti. In a note addressed to his wife and daughter, Pulak wrote, “Forgive me. Nothing stops for anyone in this world.”

Family sources said he also appealed to his younger brother, Deepak Chatterjee, to look after his wife and daughter.

Police initially suspect suicide. However, law enforcement agencies said details of the death will be known after verifying the authenticity of the recovered notes and receiving the autopsy report.