Bangladesh: RSF condemns unacceptable acts of intimidation against two independent newspapers
Protestors violently assaulted several offices belonging to the independent dailies Daily Star and Prothom Alo. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) strongly condemns these attacks on the press, and calls on the authorities to put a definitive end to these intimidation attempts in a country that must urgently rebuild a safe, pluralistic media landscape.
RSF has repeatedly called on Bangladesh’s interim government to carry out structural reforms to protect the country’s journalists. Now, protestors have attacked the headquarters of the Daily Star and Prothom Alo in the capital, Dhaka, and several of their regional offices, notably in the city of Rajshahi where 200 demonstrators tried to enter the Prothom Alo office and vandalised its signboard. The aim of these violent demonstrations, orchestrated by radicalised anti-India religious groups, was to denounce these newspapers as so-called “agents of India.”
The attackers accused The Daily Star and Prothom Alo of being funded by its neighbouring country to promote ideals that they consider contrary to Islam, such as secularism, the rights of LGBTQ+ people, and the emancipation of women. They demanded that the newspapers be closed down if they did not publicly apologise and retract their positions, which were deemed “anti-Islamic.” A smear campaign on social media further intensified the hatred against these media.
"RSF condemns the unacceptable attacks and attempts of intimidation against The Daily Star and Prothom Alo. The two newspapers tried to maintain their independence at all costs under Sheikh Hasina's authoritarian regime, despite the legal harassment they suffered in retaliation. It is now up to the interim government to help them to work freely, without restrictions or harassment. An impartial, thorough investigation into the instigators and perpetrators of the recent violent attacks— and the necessary subsequent legal proceedings — are crucial to curbing the development of an unsafe work environment for journalists.
Judicial harassment and frozen bank accounts
Attacks on press freedom in Bangladesh have also taken the form of financial repression and false accusations against journalists.
On 24 November, a murder complaint was filed against 14 journalists in Khulna, a city in the southwest, along with 315 other individuals. All of the defendants were accused of orchestrating a student’s murder in connection with recent protests. However, the victim's father states that he never filed the complaint, and that his name had been used without his consent. The death certificate states that the victim died from electrocution.
On the same day, the central bank's financial intelligence agency, the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), ordered the bank accounts of ten journalists to be frozen for a renewable period of one month. According to official statements, this measure is intended to combat money laundering, although no tangible proof has been provided. An investigation into the accounts of 28 other journalists is also underway, following a request from the Ministry of Information.
Stay informed
