The Press Wing of the Chief Adviser responded to the concerns raised by the Newspaper Owners’ Association of Bangladesh (NOAB) regarding media freedom. While acknowledging some positive government actions, many journalists believe that true press freedom is still lacking. A troubling trend has emerged, with journalists facing risks of mob violence, harassment through false cases, and job insecurity, leading to self-censorship.
NOAB highlighted cases of journalists being persecuted, referencing data from Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB). According to TIB data up to August 2025, 496 journalists experienced harassment between August 2024 and July 2025. Among them, 266 were implicated in murder cases related to a July uprising, with three journalists killed while on duty. Additionally, two journalists in Gazipur were brutally assaulted, one in front of the police and another fatally attacked the next day.
While some government actions were taken following the incidents in Gazipur, they fell short of demonstrating a genuine commitment to press freedom. The interim government’s response has been notably subdued, with no reported cases of harassment or murder charges being dropped against journalists. Furthermore, 24 media professionals were dismissed, including editors of eight newspapers and news editors of 11 TV stations, with several journalists still incarcerated.
Despite calls for accountability, Law Adviser Asif Nazrul distanced himself from the issue, stating it was beyond his jurisdiction, while Home Adviser Jahangir Alam Chowdhury has not provided a concrete response to the abuses of the law. While both advisers noted that only a few individuals were arrested out of the hundreds of cases, concerns remain about the chilling effect of potential murder charges on journalists’ independence and objectivity.
The Chief Adviser’s Press Wing mentioned the proposed media commission and the introduction of a Journalists’ Protection Law as positive steps. However, questions were raised about the government’s role in addressing issues such as wage exploitation, denial of labor rights, hostile work environments, lack of protective equipment, and challenging working conditions within the industry. Advocating for reforms is commendable, but concrete actions are needed to ensure journalists’ rights are protected, enabling them to carry out their essential role as watchdogs, serve the public, and contribute to a democratic society.