Journalists Targeted: Crisis on the Press Freedom in Bangladesh

18-09-2024

Rishiti Choudaha and Noa-Lynn Gilliaert

Bangladesh Genocide Recognition Campaign,

Global Human Rights Defence.

Amongst widespread national unrest following the fall of the Awami government, Bangladeshi journalists are now faced with unprecedented threats. Estimates reveal that as of September, over 100 journalists are facing murder charges. Prominent names among the accused journalists include Mozammel Babu, editor-in-chief of Ekattor TV, Tushar Abdullah, former head of news at Somoy TV and current head of news at Ekhon TV, Shayamal Dutta, former general secretary of the National Press Club and Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, editor at The Daily Observer and former information affairs advisor to the Prime Minister.

Broadcast Journalist Center (BJC) and Editors’ Council have expressed concerns over the staggering number of charges filed. In a statement on August 22nd, Editors’ Council President Mahfuz Anam and General Secretary Dewan Hanif Mahmuf expressed their deep concern over the situation.

The practice of harassing and filing broad cases against journalists is not a new phenomenon under the new interim government but was institutionalised by the previous Azami League Government.

Under the previous government, 18 journalists were attacked and harassed while covering election irregularities in January. When asked as to why the trend of such cases is persisting, Asif Nazrul, legal adviser to the interim government, said: “We cannot prevent a parent of a slain student from filing a case based on their judgment..”, and deemed the current charges an aftermath of the previous government’s practices. He went on to add that proper investigations would be conducted.

Sohel Haider Chowdhury and Akter Hossain, union president and general secretary of the pro-awami League respectively, both also accused, released a press statement acknowledging the arrests as having taken place after the change of power. Farzana Rupa and Shakil Ahmed, previously associated with Ekattor TV, are currently also detained. The question remains if the high number of accusations is linked to the change in power, given that channels such as Ekattor are widely recognised as being sympathetic to the ousted former prime minister, Sheikh Hasina.

The Dhaka Union of Journalists demanded that the interim government drop the names of professional journalists from the list of accused in the murder cases filed, in the wake of student deaths during the recent movement. BJC is urging all stakeholders, including the interim government, to do their part in ensuring the safety of journalists and maintaining a conducive working environment. It remains notable that according to the 2024 World Press Freedom Index, Bangladesh holds the 165th rank, and the country has slipped by 13 notches over the past three years.

As the deputy director of the Asian Division of Human Rights Watch stated, there is legitimate anger over the abuses under Sheikh Hasina’s authoritarian governance. Now we see growing concerns over the replication of abusive and partisan behaviour within the justice system since the fall of the Awami League Government. The interim government should focus on reform, not reprisal, as it will only undermine its pledges.

Sources and further readings:

1. Staff, ‘Bangladesh: RSF condemns the outrageous charges of crimes against humanity brought against at least 25 journalists’ Reporters Without Borders (Online, 30 August 2024) <https://rsf.org/en/bangladesh-rsf-condemns-outrageous-charges-crimes-against-humanity-brought-against-least-25#:~:text=On%20August%2029%2C%20no%20fewer,and%20are%20currently%20behind%20bars.> accessed 17 September, 2024
2. Staff, ‘Bangladesh arrests journalists, writer linked to ousted PM’s regime’ Al Mayadeen English (Online, 17 September 2024) <https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/bangladesh-arrests-journalists–writer-linked-to-ousted-pm-s> accessed 17 September, 2024
3. Alam J, ‘Bangladesh Court Sends 2 Journalists to Police Custody for Questioning as Chaos Continues’ The Diplomat (Online, 23 August 2024) <https://thediplomat.com/2024/08/bangladesh-court-sends-2-journalists-to-police-custody-for-questioning-as-chaos-continues/> accessed 17 September, 2024
4. Staff, ‘Bangladesh slips 2 notches to 165th in RSF press freedom index’ Prothomalo English (Dhaka, 3 May 2024) <https://en.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/btimunmwon#:~:text=Bangladesh%20has%20declined%20two%20notches,last%20year’s%20score%20of%2035.31> accessed 17 September, 2024
5. Staff, ‘Journalists Mozammel Babu, Shyamal Dutta detained from Mymensingh border’ The Daily Star (Online, 16 September 2024) <https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/crime-justice/news/journalists-mozammel-babu-shyamal-dutta-detained-mymensingh-border-3704336> accessed 18 September, 2024
6. Staff, ‘Shahriar Kabir arrested in Dhaka, charges not specified’ com (Online, 17 September 2024) <https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/6b75eb11f091> accessed 17 September, 2024
7. PTI, ‘Three journalists allegedly attempting to flee to India arrested in Bangladesh’ Deccan Herald (​​Online, 16 September 2024) <https://www.deccanherald.com/world/three-journalists-allegedly-attempting-to-flee-to-india-arrested-in-bangladesh-3192869> accessed 18 September, 2024
8. ‘World Press Freedom Index’ Reporters Without Borders (2024) <https://rsf.org/en/index> accessed 17 September, 2024