Bangladesh: Crisis on Press Freedom, 878 Journalists Attacked During Yunus Government

New Delhi: Hundreds of journalists have been attacked and repression continues during the tenure of Muhammad Yunus' interim government in Bangladesh. New Delhi-based human rights group Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) on Monday claimed that 878 journalists were targeted in the last one year under the interim government in Bangladesh, which shows a deep attack on press freedom. 

In its report titled 'Bangladesh: Murder of Media Freedom by Dr. Muhammad Yunus', RRAG said that there was a 230 percent increase in attacks on journalists between August 2024 and July 2025, while 383 such cases were reported during the reign of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

RRAG Director Suhas Chakma, while releasing the report, said that 195 criminal cases were registered against journalists during the Yunus government, which is 558 percent more than the 35 cases registered during the Sheikh Hasina government.

Chakma said, “While there was no instance of cancellation of accreditation of any journalist in the Sheikh Hasina government, the Yunus government cancelled the accreditation of 167 journalists.” The report said that misusing Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit, Bangladesh's anti-money laundering agency, the Yunus government sent notices to 107 journalists.

Referring to incidents of violence and threats, the report said that during the July 2024 uprising, 348 journalists faced violence and criminal threats in the Sheikh Hasina government, while the figure reached 431 in the Yunus regime.

Khandaker Shah Alam, a correspondent for the Bangla-language newspaper Daily Matrijagat, was murdered on June 25, 2025, in Nabinagar Upazila, northeast of Dhaka, Bangladesh.

It is noteworthy that Khandaker Shah Alam, a correspondent for the Bangla-language newspaper Daily Matrijagat, was murdered on June 25, 2025, in Nabinagar Upazila, northeast of Dhaka, Bangladesh. The killing was a targeted act of retaliation linked to his investigative reporting on local crime and corruption. Alam was attacked due to his reporting on the criminal activities of Babul Mia, a local figure known as "Tiger Babul Dakat," who was implicated in multiple robbery cases. Alam's coverage had contributed to Mia's earlier arrest and imprisonment. After his release from prison on June 25, 2025, Mia sought revenge for the journalist’s exposés.

On July 27, 2025, the Dhaka Cyber Tribunal issued arrest warrants under the Digital Security Act (DSA) against Bangladesh Pratidin editor Nayeem Nizam, publisher Mainal Hossain Chowdhury and Bangla Insider editor-in-chief Syed Borhan Kabir, while government legal adviser Asif Nazrul had already announced the withdrawal of all DSA cases on June 27.

Bangladesh's government has cancelled the accreditation cards of #journalists citing security reasons. Now the entry of journalists to the secretariat will be restricted. A #pressrelease issued by #Bangladesh's Home Ministry on Friday said, "Access to the secretariat through… pic.twitter.com/0h7elsNU8C

— VOiCE OF MEDIA (@voiceofmedia1) December 28, 2024

According to the report, on April 21, 2025, The Daily Star sacked Dinajpur correspondent Konkan Karmakar after his report on the death of Bhavesh Chandra Roy, a religious minority, came to the notice of the Indian media and the Indian government.

Chakma alleged that Yunus has set up a mechanism called 'CA Press Wing Facts' to control the media, which works to intimidate the media and NGOs and manufacture "government truth".

RRAG said it would appeal to the international community, particularly the UK Human Rights Joint Committee, to review its support to the interim government of Bangladesh and consider withdrawing bilateral support because of the media clampdown.