Bangladeshi environmental journalist Abu Azad abducted, severely beaten
Journalist Abu Azad has filed a police complaint against 10 people for assault, extortion, kidnapping, and attempted murder.
South Asia: IPI launches ad campaign calling for action to protect press freedom and the safety of journalists
The International Press Institute has joined with seven print and online media outlets in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan to launch an ad campaign aimed at raising public awareness about the need to protect press freedom.
Bangladesh: Crackdown on political opposition
Human Rights Watch said that Bangladesh authorities should respect the rule of law and protect political opposition supporters’ right to freedom of association, and peaceful assembly.
Bangladeshi government uses relatives of expatriate journalists as hostages
Two brothers of journalists working for ‘Weekly Surma’, a London-based newspaper, were arrested by the police in Bangladesh for allegedly being accomplices in spreading anti-government propaganda.
RSF appalled by stabbing attack on local newspaper editor in Bangladesh
“Dainik Agrabani Pratidin” editor Mohammad Rashid Chowdhury was ambushed and stabbed on 14 May, two days after publishing an article about a clash between rival gangs.
Bangladesh: IPI condemns murder of reporter Mohiuddin Sarkar Nayeem
The International Press Institute urges authorities to carry out a thorough investigation in order to determine the motive for the killing of journalist Mohiuddin Sarkar Nayeem and to ensure all perpetrators are brought to justice.
Bangladesh: Respect Rozina Islam’s right to a fair trial
Several groups urged the Bangladeshi government to respect the fair trial rights of investigative journalist Rozina Islam, who is accused of violating the Official Secrets Act.
Bangladesh: Rohingya refugee schools face closure
If the order to close schools is not reversed, around 30,000 Rohingya refugee children will lose their access to education.
Bangladesh: Protests erupt over rape verdict
Human Rights Watch urged authorities to enact legal and institutional reforms to address the country’s rape problem and ensure that the justice system is a “safe place for survivors of sexual violence.”
Bangladesh: 86 victims of enforced disappearance still missing
A new report by Human Rights Watch documents the cases of 86 victims in Bangladesh who were forcibly disappeared and who remain missing.
Bangladeshi authorities arrest journalist Rozina Islam under Official Secrets Act
Media colleagues of investigative journalist Rozina Islam believe her arrest is related to her reporting about corruption and mismanagement in Bangladesh’s health sector.
Bangladesh: Writer Mushtaq Ahmed dies after 9 months in custody
Mushtaq Ahmed was arrested in May 2020 for posting criticism of the government’s pandemic response on Facebook. His petitions for bail had been repeatedly denied.
Bangladesh: ‘Release Ahmed Kabir Kishore before he dies in custody’
After the death of a detained writer, groups have been calling for the release of cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore, whose health has recently deteriorated.
Bangladesh: Three journalists charged under Digital Security Act
Photographer Shafiqul Islam Kajol, cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore, and writer Mushtaq Ahmed have been charged under the Digital Security Act, a law which has been regularly used by authorities to silence criticism.
Bangladesh: Journalist’s killers sentenced to life in prison
Five men have been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of journalist Humayun Kabir Balu, sixteen years after he was killed in a targeted explosion in Khulna in 2004. He was the editor of “Dainik Janmabhumi” and a former president of the Khulna Press Club.
COVID-19 pandemic severely undermined press freedom in South Asia
According to IPI’s COVID-19 Press Freedom Tracker, nearly 200 violations linked to the pandemic were reported from the Asia-Pacific region, of which 107 were from four South Asian countries: Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Nepal.