Statement Against The Continuing Killings Of Media Personalities In Bangladesh

The Coalition for Human Rights & Democracy in Bangladesh (CHRD Bangladesh) joins the Media Freedom Coalition (MFC) in Bangladesh in condemning the death of media persons in the hands of the ruling coterie. In its statement on May 4, 2023, CHRD Bangladesh outlined Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina regime’s “war against the media.” (Please see: Bangladesh Regime’s War Against The Media | ChrdBangladesh).

The Digital Security Act (DSA) is extensively used against the media. It was aimed at penalizing the Bangladeshi people for criticizing the regime’s excessive corruption and wrongdoings which include extrajudicial murders, enforced disappearances, unlawful arrests, and torture. There has been an outcry from the US, the UN and other local and international rights organizations for the repeal or suspension of this draconian law. The regime, which is illegal since 2009, pays no heed.

The latest media victim is Golam Rabbani Nadeem, the District Correspondent of the BanglaNews24.com and Bakshiganj Upazila Correspondence of the Ekattor TV in the northern district of Jamalpur. Eleven embassies in Dhaka issued an MFC statement expressing their concern at the deadly incident and asked the government for punitive action against the perpetrators. The statement was signed by the Embassies and High Commissions of Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

CHRD Bangladesh also urges the concerned authorities to uphold press freedom in the country and administer justice to the perpetrators who are responsible for any form of intimidation and attacks on journalists in the discharge of their duties.