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CWA # 1740
Global Politics Explainer
Declining Media Freedom in Bangladesh: What and Why
New Government, Old Issues

  Emma Rose Boby
6 July 2025

On 28 August 2024, in his second national address, Chief Advisor Muhammed Yunus said, “The free flow of information and freedom of the press will be ensured. Fascist regimes also burdened the media with factionalism and harassment. We are committed to ensuring people’s right to information. Existing legal and other barriers to the free flow of information will be removed. All oppressive clauses in laws that impede freedom of expression will be amended. This process has already been initiated by identifying such laws.” 

On 3 May, on World Press Freedom Day 2025, the Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) released a report titled, “Bangladesh: Press Freedom Throttled Under Dr Muhammed Yunus,” alleging that there has been systemized repression against journalists and that over 640 journalists have been targeted since the beginning of the Chief Advisor’s reign, either through supposedly false charges, the denial of accreditations and withdrawal of their press cards.

What are the issues?
First, during Sheikh Hasina’s period, the media faced severe repression and censorship through laws like the CyberSecurity Act, 2023, the Official Secrets Act, 1923, the Special Powers Act, 1974 and more which prevented press freedom. “Yellow journalism” was used as criticism for any information that went against the government. There was hope that with the instatement of the interim government, there would be an improvement, which was echoed by Yunus initially. According to Press Secretary Alam, “The interim government has not slapped any repressive laws or passed any administrative orders to muzzle the press as practiced by the Hasina government. No legal actions were taken against the journalists,” in an interview with BenarNews. He claimed that journalists were practicing self-censorship and that the CyberSecurity Act, 2023, was repealed for more press freedoms. However, there has also been criticism for the draft of the Cyber Security Ordinance, 2025 for vagueness. 

Second, a Committee for Monitoring Harassment Cases against Journalists in Mass Media was formed. However Reporters Sans Frontiers (RSF) stated that lawyers had concerns about the neutrality of the committee as it was dominated by senior government officials. Furthermore, journalists would have to submit “admissible evidence” including personal information which raised multiple safety concerns. The Media Reform Commission submitted a report to the Chief Advisor, highlighting 20 reforms which include a blacklist of non-compliant media houses, an independent regulatory body, a public list of ethical violations and concentration of media houses. There has been a mixed reaction to these reforms and concerns that the non-compliance of media houses would lead to further censorship.

Third, according to The Daily Star, 233 journalists have faced criminal charges, primarily filed in Dhaka  for their alleged affiliations to the Awami League or for their reportage of the Monsoon Protests. According to RRAG, over 640 journalists were targeted from August 2024 to March 2025 with criminal cases, acts of violence, denial of accreditation, money laundering and a number of inquiries. Sumi Khan, Monirul Islam and other prominent Bangladeshi journalists have been accused of various crimes and have given accounts testifying to the state of press freedom in Bangladesh. Amnesty International, Article 19 and Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) have also released a report titled “Bangladesh: Interim government should protect freedom of expression and opinion” and have stated that Bangladesh is in violation of its own constitution and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) which Bangladesh has acceded to. They have also called out the interim government’s inability to entirely repeal the CyberSecurity Act, 2023. Human Rights Watch (HRW) and RSF have also raised concerns about the anarchic treatment of the media under Yunus’ reign.

The Farooki Incident, where Cultural Affairs Advisor Mostofa Sarwar Farook responded negatively to questions about the July Uprising 2024, has seen critical backlash against journalists and media houses by students and influencers, labelling those who speak against the interim government as ‘fascists’. The increase in mob threats against journalists has reportedly led to the self-censorship. It has also been alleged that Operation Devil Hunt was to silence journalists, and others who were critical of the interim government.

There seems to be no response from the government on these reports and allegations and have raised concerns that the repression of the media signifies Yunus’ turn to autocracy. The restriction of the press goes against Section 39 of the constitution, and there seems to be no mention of the media in the new July Charter.

References
“Bangladesh: Interim government should protect freedom of expression and opinion,” Amnesty International, 21 March 2025,
https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/asa13/9165/2025/en/

“Bangladesh: Press Freedom Throttled Under Dr Muhammed Yunus,” Rights and Risks Analysis Group, 3 May 2025
https://www.rightsrisks.org/by-country/bangladesh/bangladesh-press-freedom-throttled-under-dr-muhammad-yunus/

Deep Halder, “Bangladeshi journalist Sumi Khan says Yunus govt killed free press. So she’s in exile in US,” ThePrint, 30 March 2025
https://theprint.in/feature/bangladeshi-journalist-sumi-khan-says-yunus-govt-killed-free-press-so-shes-in-exile-in-us/2571135/

“More press freedom violations in Bangladesh although panel created to monitor harassment of journalists,” Reporters Without Borders, 8 November 2024,
https://rsf.org/en/more-press-freedom-violations-bangladesh-although-panel-created-monitor-harassment-journalists

“World press freedom day: 266 journalists face criminal cases so far,” The Daily Star, 3 May 2025,
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/crime-justice/news/world-press-freedom-day-266-journalists-face-criminal-cases-so-far-3885366


About the author
Emma Rose Boby is an undergraduate student at the Department of International Relations, Peace and Public Policy at St Joseph’s University, Bengaluru. She is a part of the NIAS Online Course on Contemporary South Asia.

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