1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to search
  3. Skip to main menu
  4. Skip to more DW sites

We mourn the loss of Faruq Faisel

On October 17, 2025, Bangladeshi journalist and human rights activist Faruq Faisel passed away. He was a member of the Global Reference Group, an advisory board of DW Akademie.

A black and white picture of Faruq Faisel in a hallway at DW headquarters in Bonn
Faruq Faisel was a member of the Global Reference GroupImage: Björn Kietzmann/DW

Faruq Faisel was an accomplished journalist and staunch advocate for human rights and international media development. Until his death, he served as executive director of the human rights organization Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) in Bangladesh. 

Faisel was born in Nasharatpur, Bangladesh, in April 1954. He studied at the University of Dhaka, in Norway and later at the University of Cambridge. His work promoting independent media took him from Dhaka to Oslo, Ottawa, Kathmandu, Afghanistan and many other places, including Bonn. 

Since 2018, Faisel had been a close partner of DW Akademie, supporting various projects and initiatives with his expertise, including the development of an online course on media and information literacy. He was also instrumental in establishing an international network on the topic of refugees and migration. Additionally, Faisel had been a valued member of DW Academy's Global Reference Group since 2024. As part of the 12-member committee, he advised the DW Akademie on strategic issues, contributing his many years of experience in media development and journalism. 

Faruq Faisel passed away on October 17 after struggling with illness. 

He is held in high esteem by many as a pillar of Bangladesh's development community, a courageous advocate for human rights and a steadfast defender of freedom of expression. 

Our deepest sympathies go out to his family and all those who were close to him during this difficult time.