Deadly protests in Bangladesh: RSF demands authorities shed light on death of journalist Mehedi Hasan

RSF demands authorities shed light on death of journalist Mehedi Hasan
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One journalist was killed and roughly 30 injured while covering student protests in Dhaka, the capital city. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns this unacceptable violence and calls on the authorities to prosecute the perpetrators of these attacks, and to protect reporters covering the ongoing socio-political unrest.

The violent repression of ongoing protests, which were triggered by the High Court’s June decision to reinstate controversial quotas for public jobs, crescendoed during the week of 15 July as police, students, and government supporters clashed. On 18 July, Dhaka Times journalist Hasan Mehedi, 35, was killed in circumstances yet to be identified while reporting on the events. Around thirty other journalists were assaulted and wounded. Some were beaten or shot at by the police, and some were attacked by counter-protestors supporting the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of the ruling Awami League party, which actively supported police repression. Others were caught up in the clashes.

At the time of this writing, 19 July, the authorities have imposed a communications blackout on the country. Internet and mobile services are cut off. Online media are inaccessible.

"It is appalling that a journalist should die while covering protests. It is unacceptable to see multiple violent attacks against reporters. RSF condemns the brutal violence that has befallen media professionals, who are simply doing their job, and demands that the perpetrators be identified and brought to justice immediately. The authorities must guarantee the safety of journalists and the right to information.

Célia Mercier
Head of RSF’s South Asia Desk

To date, the following journalists were injured while covering these protests, according to RSF’s information:

  • 18 July: Nadia Sharmeen,  reporter for the privately-owned TV station Ekattor TV, was wounded by bullets fired by riot police Jatrabari, on the outskirts of Dhaka.
  • 18 July: Journalist Muktadir Rashid Romeo was wounded by riot police bullets in Dhaka.
  • 18 July: Dainik Manabzamin 's photo journalist Jiban Ahmed was injured outside when protesters set fire to dozens of vehicles and to the reception building of the state-owned station Bangladesh Television (BTV) in Dhaka.
  • 18 July: New Nation reporter Kamruzzaman Bablu,  correspondent for the private TV channel MyTV, Rakib Ahmed, and a journalist from Dainik Janabani were reportedly hurt by tear gas.
  • 17 July: Vaskar Bhadury, a reporter for the privately-owned Jamuna TV, was attacked during clashes between protesting students and supporters of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) on the Dhaka University campus.
  • 18 July: Journalism student Abdullah Al Mamun, a correspondent for the independent newspaper Prothom Alo reporting from Jahangirnagar University’s campus, suffered injuries to his head, neck and hands, according to a doctor on duty at the university medical center. Mamun alleges that, despite clearly presenting his press ID card, a policeman hit him with a baton. “When I tried to run away, the policeman fired a rubber bullet at me on the university campus,” he added. At least four other journalists were seriously injured on the Jahangirnagar campus when police fired rubber bullets in their direction.
  • 16 July: numerous TV reporters, videographers and photo journalists were attacked and injured in a clash between protesters and riot police backed byBangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) supporters. Dainik Janakantha 's press photographer , Sumanta Chakrabarty, suffered a broken leg on the Dhaka University campus.
  • Bonik Barta correspondent Mehedi Mamun, Bangladesh Today correspondent Jubayer Ahmed, Dainik Bangla correspondent Abdur Rahman Sarzil and Dainik Janakantha correspondent Wajtul Islam, Ekushey TV reporter, Jubaer Ahmed, Dainik Jugantor reporter Musfiqur Rezwan, Bangla Tribune reporter Arman Bhuiyan and Dainik Janakantha correspondent Motahar Hossain were also injured on the Dhaka University campus.

    Thirty-nine deaths have resulted from the violent repression of these  protests since 15 July – with 32 on 18 July alone — and over 700 people have been injured.
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