{{Short description|Bangladeshi journalist and columnist}} {{EngvarB|date=August 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}} {{Infobox person |name = Abed Khan |native_name = আবেদ খান |native_name_lang = bn |image = Abed_Khan,_Editor_and_publisher,_upcoming_bengali_daily_Jagoron.jpg |caption = Abed Khan in 2010 |birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1945|4|16}} |birth_place = [[Rasulpur]], [[Khulna]], [[Bengal Presidency]], British India |occupation = Journalist, columnist, author | known_for = Editing ''[[Kaler Kantho]]'', ''[[Samakal]]'', ''[[Jugantor]]'', ''[[Bhorer Kagoj]]'', ''[[kalbela]]'' | spouse = Sanjida Akhter<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/showbiz/showbiz-column/television-lifetime/chemistry-television-1202809 |title=Chemistry of Television |work=[[The Daily Star (Bangladesh)|The Daily Star]] |last1=Sagor |first1=Faridur Reza |date=2 April 2016 |access-date=7 May 2017}}</ref> | children = 1 }} '''Abed Khan''' ({{langx|bn|আবেদ খান}}; born 16 April 1945) is a Bangladeshi journalist and columnist. He has been an influential figure in the Bangladeshi news industry in various capacities for five decades. Khan is currently editor and publisher of the [[Dhaka]]-based daily ''Jagaran''<ref name=jagaran>{{cite web |url=http://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/media_dialogue_1.pdf |title=Media dialogue on trans-boundary resources management: Bangladesh and India perspective |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=7 December 2011 |website=[[International Union for Conservation of Nature]] |publisher= |accessdate=7 December 2012}}</ref> and is the former chief executive officer and chief editor of [[ATN News]].<ref name=atn>{{cite news |url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=258762 |title=Ethical journalism to prevail |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=24 November 2012 |work=[[The Daily Star (Bangladesh)|The Daily Star]] |access-date=6 December 2012}}</ref><ref name=ATNresignation>{{cite news |title=Abed Khan Resigns from ATN News |url=http://tazakhobor.com/national/3898-abed-khan-resigns-from-atn-news/ |date=21 April 2013 |work=Taza Khobor |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819125800/http://tazakhobor.com/national/3898-abed-khan-resigns-from-atn-news/ |archive-date=19 August 2014 |access-date=28 April 2013}}</ref>
==Early life== Abed Khan was born in the village of Rasulpur, [[Khulna Division|Khulna district]], [[Bengal Presidency]], British India. Both his father and maternal grandfather were renowned journalists in British India. Khan graduated from [[Dhaka University]] by 1962, and started working as a sub-editor at daily newspaper ''Jehad'' at the age of 17.<ref name=university>{{cite news |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/2003/06/19/d30619100160.htm |title=Abed Khan, Bhorer Kagoj Editor |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=19 June 2003 |work=[[The Daily Star (Bangladesh)|The Daily Star]] |access-date=6 December 2012}}</ref> After almost a year with the ''Jehad'', he joined the daily newspaper ''Sangbad''.<ref name=atn />
== Career == In 1966, Khan took a position at the influential daily newspaper ''[[The Daily Ittefaq|Ittefaq]]''; Khan would later become ''Ittefaq'''s chief reporter.<ref name="university" />
He fought in the Bangladeshi army during the 1971 [[Bangladesh Liberation War]].<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://thediplomat.com/2014/10/the-long-road-to-justice-for-bangladeshs-war-criminals/ |title=The Long Road to Justice for Bangladesh's War Criminals |last1=Khan |first1=Abed |date=12 October 2014 |magazine=[[The Diplomat (magazine)|The Diplomat]] |accessdate=24 January 2015}}</ref> In 1972, ''Ittefaq'' began publishing Khan's "Open Secret", an investigative column dealing with corruption in Bangladesh.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.academia.edu/8624302/Investigative_Journalism_in_Bangladesh_Strengthening_Democratic_Process_and_Social_Responsibility |title=Investigative Journalism in Bangladesh: Strengthening Democratic Process and Social Responsibility |last1=Rahman |first1=Golam |last2= |first2= |date=2015 |website=academia.edu |publisher= |accessdate=30 January 2015}}</ref> ''Ittefaq'' also published a series of Khan's columns entitled "Abhajoner Nibedon Iti", written under the pseudonym "Obhajan" (''an ordinary man'').<ref name=university /> Khan became ''Ittefaq'''s assistant editor in 1978.<ref name=university />
In 1995, after 31 years of service at ''Ittefaq'', Abed Khan resigned and became a freelance journalist.<ref name=university /> He continued to write for several top-ranked Bangladeshi newspapers, including''[[Jagaran]]'', ''[[Janakantha]]'', ''[[Bhorer Kagoj]]'', ''[[Prothom Alo]]'' and ''Sangbad''. ''Janakantha'' published "Gaurananda Kobi Bhone Shune Punyaban" (''Poet Gaurananda describes, that the pious listen to''), Khan's highly popular series of satirical articles.<ref name=university /> Khan briefly served as chief of incipient broadcast network [[Ekushey Television]]'s news department in 2000.<ref name=university /> Khan was also elected president of the East Pakistan Journalists' Union and the Dhaka Journalists' Union.<ref name=university />
Abed Khan joined the daily ''[[Bhorer Kagoj]]'' on 18 June 2003 as its editor. He worked there from 2003 until his resignation in 2005, helping ''Bhorer Kagoj'' polish its image and recover from financial instability.<ref name = bhorerkagoj>{{cite news |url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/2005/01/06/d50106012521.htm |title=Abed Khan resigns from Borer Jagoj |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=6 January 2005 |work=[[The Daily Star (Bangladesh)|The Daily Star]] |access-date=6 December 2012}}</ref> Khan then acted as editor of the daily ''[[Jugantor]]'' from 2005 to 2006.<ref name=jugantor>{{cite news |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/2006/04/04/d60404061061.htm |title=Resignation from Jugantor: Abed Khan clarifies his position |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=4 April 2006 |work=[[The Daily Star (Bangladesh)|The Daily Star]] |access-date=6 December 2012}}</ref> He also worked as editor of the daily ''[[Samakal]]''.<ref name=samakal>{{cite news |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=17668 |title=Shawkat Osman remembered |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=4 January 2008 |work=[[The Daily Star (Bangladesh)|The Daily Star]] |access-date=6 December 2012}}</ref>
In January 2010, Abed Khan founded and served as editor of a new daily newspaper, ''[[Kaler Kantho]]'', after securing a sponsorship from Bangladeshi business conglomerate [[Bashundhara Group]].<ref name=bashundhara>{{cite web |url=http://www.bashundharagroup.com/daily-kaler-kantho-circulation-exeeds-200000-copies/ |title=Daily Kaler Kantho Circulation exceeds 200,000 copies |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=17 April 2010 |website=[[Bashundhara Group]] |publisher= |accessdate=30 January 2015}}</ref> Within months, Kaler Kantho's daily circulation had exceeded 200,000 copies.<ref name=bashundhara /> Abed Khan resigned from ''Kaler Kantho'' on 30 June 2011, protesting against allegedly unethical articles printed in the daily and citing "the pressure to publish news that went against principle and journalism ethics" as a factor in his resignation.<ref name=resignation>{{cite news |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=192455/ |title=Editor Abed Khan quits on ethical grounds |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=2 July 2011 |work=[[The Daily Star (Bangladesh)|The Daily Star]] |access-date=5 December 2012}}</ref>
In late 2011, Abed Khan announced that he would publish and edit a new daily newspaper, ''Jagoran''.<ref name=jagoron>{{cite web |url=http://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/media_dialogue_1.pdf |title=Media dialogue on trans-boundary resources management: Bangladesh and India perspective |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=7 December 2011 |website=[[International Union for Conservation of Nature]] |publisher= |accessdate=7 December 2012}}</ref> After the death of then-chief executive officer of [[ATN News]] [[Mishuk Munier]] in 2011, Khan served as its chief executive officer and chief editor. He resigned his posts in April 2013,<ref name=atn /><ref name=ATNresignation /> alleging a "poisonous work environment".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2013/apr/21/abed-khan-quits-atn-news-citing-'conspiracy' |title=Abed Khan quits ATN News citing 'conspiracy' |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=21 April 2013 |work=[[Dhaka Tribune]] |access-date=30 January 2015}}</ref>
After the fall of the [[Sheikh Hasina]]-led [[Awami League]] government, the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit, along with 32 other journalists, sought information on Khan's bank accounts.<ref>{{Cite news |date=6 January 2025 |title=Bank account details of 21 more journalists sought |url=https://www.newagebd.net/post/country/254651/bank-account-details-of-21-more-journalists-sought |access-date=21 April 2025 |work=New Age}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}} {{commons}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Khan, Abed}} [[Category:1945 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:20th-century Bangladeshi journalists]] [[Category:Bangladeshi newspaper editors]] [[Category:Bangladeshi columnists]] [[Category:21st-century Bangladeshi journalists]] [[Category:People from Satkhira District]] [[Category:Honorary Fellows of Bangla Academy]]