Bangladesh

Press freedom violations in Bangladesh, April-September 2022.

Despite credible and consistent evidence that Bangladesh security forces routinely commit enforced disappearances, the ruling Awami League has ignored calls by donor governments, the UN, human rights organizations, and civil society to address the culture of impunity.

This report documents abuses under section 57 of the ICT Act to warn that any new law should protect rights, not be used to crack down on critics.

Regulators blocked 35 news websites largely favouring the opposition, and launched a raft of punitive measures against one outlet for spreading rumors which it had actually debunked

Since 2013, law enforcement authorities in Bangladesh have illegally detained scores of opposition activists and held them in secret without producing them before courts, as the law requires. In most cases, those arrested remain in custody for weeks or months before being formally arrested or released. Others however are killed in so-called armed exchanges, and many remain “disappeared.”

Physical violence and threats against journalists and bloggers continued with impunity, with past murders remaining unsolved and other acts of violence going unpunished.

Bangladesh witnessed a spate of violent attacks against secular bloggers, academics, gay rights activists, foreigners, and members of religious minorities in 2016. Several laws were proposed during the year to increase restrictions on freedom of expression.

In November, the government announced that online news portals would be required to register with the authorities, and that the accreditation of journalists at unregistered media outlets would be canceled

“Four bloggers were murdered in 2015, allegedly by religious extremists”

Ranked 115th in annual global media freedom report

Among other developments, civil society organisations remained deeply concerned at the lack of protection provided by authorities for activists and journalists

The report details violent protests by opposition activists who called for an election boycott. In response, the government unleashed a brutal crackdown.

“Historic verdict hands life terms to killers of journalist”

Ranked 146th in annual press freedom index

Government increases control over social media, blogs, online news websites

The report documents case after case in which police, the paramilitary Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) opened fire into crowds or beat protesters in a brutal and unlawful manner

Ranked 112th in annual global media freedom report

As political turmoil continues between Islamists and secularists in Bangladesh, the climate for press freedom is rapidly deteriorating. The tensions stem from an ongoing war crimes tribunal tasked with prosecuting genocide, crimes against humanity, and other crimes dating back to the 1971 war of independence.

Critical NGOs face increased pressure and restrictions on their activities

Ruling party and opposition groups combine to make country the 50th worst violator of press freedom in the world