Journalists in Bangladesh face continuous attacks, judicial harassment: International Press Institute

CHT DESK

Journalists in Bangladesh continue to operate in a hostile and dangerous environment, often facing physical attacks and threats, as well as judicial and legal harassment, said a new report by the International Press Institute (IPI).

“IPI documented at least 42 press freedom threats or violations during this six-month period, half of which were reported cases of physical, verbal, or online attacks against journalists. In multiple cases, journalists were assaulted while reporting on the news or at political rallies ahead of Bangladesh’s 2023 parliamentary elections”, said the IPI report titled “Bangladesh: Journalists face continuing attacks, judicial harassment,” released on Wednesday (31 May). 

In some cases, journalists were directly targeted in retaliation for publishing stories on government officials, the report also said.

“In December 2022, a journalist was abducted, threatened at gunpoint, and beaten at a local government office in the Rangunia region of Chittagong for his reporting on illegally operating brick kilns. In March 2023, the brother of an investigative journalist was brutally beaten with iron rods by a group of unknown men outside his home”, the report stated. 

“Draconian laws restricting independent journalism continue to choke press freedom and democracy. Independent media are silenced under a series of laws, which include the Digital Security Act (DSA), the criminal code, and the colonial-era Official Secrets Act”, the report said.

“At least 9 journalists were charged under the DSA during this reporting period, a draconian and broadly-worded law that has been deployed since 2018 to punish and jail hundreds of journalists in retaliation for reporting critical news”, the report also added.