CPJ urges Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to end cycle of media suppression
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The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has formally called on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to fulfill his election pledges to dismantle the entrenched cycle of repression against the press in Bangladesh. The demand, issued as the current government marks its first 100 days in office, highlights the persistent dangers faced by media professionals during a period of turbulent political transition.
Since 2024, Bangladesh has seen three distinct administrations, moving from the collapse of Sheikh Hasina’s long-standing government to an interim leadership under Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, and finally to the incumbent Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government led by Rahman. According to the CPJ, each transition has been marred by the detention, surveillance, and targeting of journalists, often justified by allegations of past loyalties to previous regimes. Reports indicate that police are currently profiling journalists and reviewing their past records nationwide, a practice the CPJ characterizes as an ongoing mechanism of suppression.
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Kunal Majumdar, the CPJ’s Asia program coordinator, noted that while the current administration campaigned on a platform of reform, progress has been negligible in the first three months of governance. The organization stressed that the government must immediately prioritize the release of imprisoned journalists, the withdrawal of politically motivated lawsuits, and the implementation of robust protections against mob violence. Furthermore, the CPJ urged the government to refrain from utilizing the International Crimes Tribunal to prosecute journalism as a criminal act, emphasizing that any allegations of misconduct must be handled through transparent and independent judicial reviews rather than political vengeance.
The media environment remains hostile, with institutions and individual reporters frequently facing intimidation from organized political groups. In December 2025, the offices of *Prothom Alo* and *The Daily Star* were subjected to arson attacks that left staff trapped and forced both organizations to suspend operations. The CPJ has documented at least 10 instances of violence or harassment against journalists covering political events this year, primarily involving members of the BNP and its student wing, the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal.
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Legal frameworks, including the Anti-Terrorism Act, the Special Powers Act, and the Official Secrets Act, continue to be weaponized against the press. The CPJ pointed to the arrest of journalist Anis Alamgir last year as a prime example of such overreach. To restore press freedom, the watchdog advised the government to fundamentally amend these laws to align with international human rights standards, narrow the definitions of terrorism, and ensure legal immunity for legitimate reporting. Additionally, the CPJ warned that proposed broadcasting and media commission ordinances risk replicating the restrictive regulatory environments of the past.
The organization further urged the government to issue a clear, public declaration affirming that independent journalism is a protected constitutional right essential to democracy. By ending the culture of labeling journalists as agents of foreign interests or enemies of the state, and by ensuring that those who incite violence against the media are held accountable, the government has the opportunity to break the cycle of retribution. The CPJ maintains that without substantive legislative reforms—including the repeal of criminal defamation provisions and the introduction of protections against strategic lawsuits—the climate of fear that has forced many journalists into exile will remain unchanged.
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