Editor's Note: 'Another One! What's the Need?'

Jamil Saheb criticizes us. Upon hearing that "Agamir Shomoy" (The Times of Tomorrow) was coming, he cried out, "Another one!" As a comic character, his outcry shouldn't be audible in reality, yet I seem to hear it. Actually, I want to hear it. Or rather, I wished to.

After finalizing the publication plan for Agamir Shomoy, I thought to myself: what would my reaction have been if I weren't associated with this newspaper? The very first thought would have been, "Another one! With so much media all around, is there really a need for one more?" This question crossing my mind is surely a question raised by many others. It feels as though the era of newspapers is nearly over.

It is a dark time for media itself. When social media constantly decorates and presents countless news stories without even being asked, what logic justifies starting a new media outlet? To tell the truth, Jamil Saheb stayed with us throughout our entire campaign just to remind us of those exact words coming from the people. It didn’t start with a highly calculated plan. One day, while leaving the office, I ran into our cartoonist Arabinda and thought—how would it be if we let ourselves be targeted in a comic strip? Arabinda agreed. Our Art Editor Atique kept him on his toes. And Jamil Saheb kept us on the edge with his questions. Why? What’s the need? Haven't we seen enough? These questions are actually meant for keeping ourselves awake. Writing this piece on our opening day, it feels as though constantly searching for these questions and answers is what "Agamir Shomoy" truly is. Even in this time of redundancy, there is a need...

We can only establish this when it feels like we are offering something extra. Revealing something in a new light. Adding a new dimension. At least one single thing...

A friend of mine used to avoid reading newspapers and never watched TV news. He would say it was just a waste of time. During youth, some people turn into such experts and contrarians. We didn't pay it much mind. Then one day, with a sheepish look, he inquired, "By the way, how does one get an article published in a newspaper?" Why would a friend so averse to newspapers want to write in one? Upon further questioning, it turned out his family was facing a dispute regarding some land.

Someone said, "What good will a newspaper do? They aren't the police to recover your property. Go to the police."

"We did go to them, but they told us to approach the high and mighty people."

Everyone in society knows the necessity of reaching the high and mighty ones, but not many know the trick to doing so. There are people who have no connections in high places, no famous friends, and no influential relatives—where do they go in the end? They go to the police, but they aren't always taken seriously. They do run to the courts, but that is a very long race, and when everything else fails, their final hope is to find a little space in a newspaper or media outlet.
Granted, those are matters of the past. Is there any need for it now? We have Facebook. That does the trick. Maybe it does. But now, the need for a newspaper or media outlet has evolved differently. It's different. In a way, the need is greater now than at any other time. Previously, newspapers just delivered the news. That was their sole job. Now, the responsibility is actually much bigger. News has to be curated and filtered. There is a relentless flow of thousands of pieces of information all around us, so much so that accurate data gets washed away and lost in the current. The job of a newspaper or media house is to pull that lost news out from the crowd. Throughout the day, you will watch, listen, and forget. We will remember. Even without your realizing it, we will act as your third eye or your second self, filtering and preserving the essential and accurate news.

True. But these days we hear that the media itself is leading people astray. In the past, the media kept an eye on the people. Now, people are turning their gaze back onto the media. Together, it creates a strange equation. It becomes even more bizarre because almost everyone wants the media to speak exactly from their own perspective. It is also a modern tragedy that, in many cases, the media has to prove its neutrality to those who are already heavily biased themselves. Overall, the situation is pretty much like this—everyone wants freedom of expression, but they want that expression to align with their own side. Under such conditions, journalism itself is difficult. On top of that, starting a new medium! Is it akin to jumping into a swim with your hands tied behind your back? I ponder over it. What is the way out then? There are more problems. Social media can publish a piece of news the moment it hears it. Even when we know it, we cannot just put it out there; we need sources and statements from responsible authorities, which causes delays. Consequently, we lag behind. The knots in my thoughts tighten. It feels like time might be running out. But then, I picture a scenario. Imagine there is no mainstream media. No newspapers, no television, no recognized news portals. Everyone is publishing news on Facebook and Twitter in their own way. Information, misinformation, truth, and untruths—who is going to separate one from the other? That is why mass media is necessary. And that mass media must also be modern. If the print newspaper is its face, then the online and multimedia platforms are its two wings. We will remain awake 24 hours a day to meet that demand of the times. Therefore, "Agamir Shomoy" is not just a print newspaper; it is a complete 360-degree news outlet.

The other day, I attended a convention for newspaper hawkers. One agent lamented, saying, "Our youth is gone." It was a casual remark. But during that afternoon, it hit me—this, too, holds a deeper meaning. When youth fades, a person does not just grow old; they also become experienced. They guide the way. Perhaps we are exactly like that now. Visibly, our necessity seems to have ended, yet it still exists. If you think about it, it exists quite profoundly.

This connection to aging and seniority brings another thought to mind. Agamir Shomoy will also work with the experienced segment of the society. People over sixty retire but with the improvements of health and medicine, they are perfectly active up to the age of 75 or 80 now, but somehow there isn't much room for them in society. There is no one to listen to them. No place for them to speak out. Agamir Shomoy will carve out a dedicated space for them.
We are establishing a 'Gold Club,' where these individuals can come together, converse, connect, and bring people together. There will be a Career Club for the youth, as we wish to become a partner in shaping their future thoughts during these times, and we also want to be a companion to children and teenagers. The 'Kids Club' will assist in developing their intellect and perception. We will also stand beside those who have no one and nothing. "Extend a Helping Hand" is for those people whose dreams do not extend beyond mere survival. We will listen to their sorrows and share them with the world. We will not stop there. We will reach out to those who possess the capability to alleviate that suffering. And that is why we say our news is not the end, but the beginning. We will write the news. We will persist. We will strive to go as far as necessary to solve a problem. Furthermore, we want even the person whom the news is written against to feel that this is their media too. Their flaws will be pointed out to reform them, not to ruin them. There are many expressions like courageous journalism and professional journalism. We believe that simply practicing true journalism is enough. Its definition encompasses everything. If we move forward adhering to its principles, everything will fall into place. Protesting against injustice. Loyalty to justice. Resisting the oppressor and offering reassurance to the oppressed.

Oh, and yes. Do you know what you will see at the very top when you start your day with our newspaper in hand? Someone just like you and me. Very ordinary, yet someone who has achieved something extraordinary. We will begin our day by thanking such a social hero. If, while reading, it makes you feel—"Hey, I could do something like that too..."—then our purpose is served. The people of tomorrow will emerge.

Politics will be there, but not hyper-politics. There will be the practice of history, but not unnecessary rumination. Constitutional awareness—everything will be there, but we will remind you that at the center of all this, we must place humanity. There can be no politics greater than transforming human lives and ensuring their prosperity. No constitution, history, or awareness exists in isolation from human beings. Somehow, it feels as though while thinking about everything else, we are forgetting the human element. In the bitterness of hyper-politics and arguments, the other side of life is getting lost. We want to showcase that life too, where there is joy, potential, melody, tolerance, and love. After many years, a complete newspaper is coming to the country again, one that will contain everything. A total family newspaper encompassing sports, features, and entertainment.

At the heart of all these arrangements is humanity. By awakening the power within people, we want to build that future—a future as beautiful as a dream.

Therefore, the Agamir Somoy is in our hands. The time of tomorrow is in your hands.

And once you hold it in your hand, you might just feel—perhaps there is a need for this other one!