Bangladesh observes World Press Freedom Day 2025 today, as elsewhere across the globe, with harassment of journalists still continuing in the country even after the August, 2024 overthrow of the fascist Hasina government.
The theme of this year鈥檚 World Press Freedom Day is: 鈥楻eporting in the Brave New World 鈥� The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom and the Media鈥�.
A total of 398 incidents of attack on and harassment of journalists were reported from August, 2024 to March, 2025, with 82 incidents reported in February and March, according to the rights group Ain O Salish Kendra鈥檚 latest data.
The ASK data show that 40 incidents were reported in March, another 40 in February, and 20 incidents in January.
Meanwhile, on Friday, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) showed that Bangladesh stepped up 16 notches in its press freedom index and Bangladesh has become the 149th country this year from the previous 165th position in the past year -- out of the 180 countries.
Thirty-four countries stood out for the mass closure of their media outlets, which has led to the exiling of journalists in recent years. This is especially true for Nicaragua (172nd, nine notches down), Belarus (166th), Iran (176th), Myanmar (169th), Sudan (156th), Azerbaijan (167th) and Afghanistan (175th), where economic difficulties compounded the effects of political pressure.
Information and broadcasting adviser Mahfuz Alam said that Bangladesh has gained 16 steps up in the RSF press freedom index as the government did not intervene in mass media.
According to the RSF, after the regime change in Bangladesh, nearly 140 journalists viewed as aligned with Sheikh Hasina鈥檚 government faced 鈥榚xtremely grave but baseless accusations of killing protesters.鈥�
Twenty-five were charged with 鈥榗rimes against humanity,鈥� forcing many into hiding to avoid arrest and imprisonment, according to the RSF data shared on April 14.
One of the two factions of the Dhaka Union of Journalists in a statement signed by its president Sajjad Alam Khan and general secretary Akhtar Hossain on Friday said that mass media outlets were facing various challenges.
It said that the DUJ faction office has been locked for the past eight months, murder cases have been filed against over 100 journalists while many became unemployed.
In the statement, DUJ faction leaders demanded stopping repression and torture on journalists to ensure freedom of press.
DUJ faction former president Sohel Haider said that the media did not enjoy the desired freedom since its independence in 1971.
鈥楳any journalists are facing murder cases reportedly aligned with Sheikh Hasina government. Many of them may be involved in corruption and other offences. Cases should be filed with specific allegations, but not framing in wholesale murder cases,鈥� Sohel Haider told 抖阴精品.
He also expressed dissatisfaction over the termination of three journalists because of asking critical questions.
Other DUJ faction general secretary Khurshid Alam, however, said that they have formed a legal cell but no journalists came to the cell for legal assistance.
鈥楽ome came to us personally over some isolated events and we solved those,鈥� he said, adding that they will protect any journalists if they are attacked.
Chief adviser鈥檚 deputy press secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder on Friday reaffirmed the interim government鈥檚 commitment to press freedom, saying that they always want journalists to practice truthfully and independently, free from influence by the state, businesspeople, or any other powerful groups.
鈥榃e believe that if the Media Reform Commission鈥檚 recommendations are implemented, journalists and the media will be able to operate more freely,鈥� Azad was quoted in the United News of Bangladesh as saying while delivering the keynote speech at an event marking World Press Freedom Day that falls on May 3.
The programme was organised by the Chittagong Press Club and the Chittagong Metropolitan Journalists Union.
