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October 19, 2025
October 20, 2025 – Bangladesh –
A journalist working for the Bangladeshi daily Amar Desh was physically attacked on 19 October 2025 while reporting inside the headquarters of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in the Gulshan-2 area of Dhaka. The reporter, identified as Jahidul Islam, was covering internal nomination activity among BNP aspirants from the Sylhet division when a confrontation broke out.
According to Islam’s account, at around 4:30 pm, he began filming the commotion inside the BNP office when several individuals suddenly dragged him into another room, struck him repeatedly, shattered his mobile phone, and confiscated his press ID. “I told them I would delete the video if filming was not permitted, but they ignored me,” he said. Several other journalists present reported being harassed, and at least one other media representative claimed their equipment was seized during the incident.
In response to the attack, BNP officials expressed regret over the incident and announced that they would investigate. Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the party’s Secretary General, issued a statement condemning the violence and directing leadership to identify those responsible. On 20 October, journalist organizations and press freedom advocates called on the authorities to ensure accountability, protect journalists and guarantee their safety while performing their duties.
The assault has been interpreted by media observers as part of a broader pattern of escalating pressure on journalists in Bangladesh—especially during politically charged moments such as candidate nomination processes. The fact that the attack occurred inside the office of a major political party underscores concerns about the vulnerability of reporters even on ostensibly controlled premises.
Reference –
Bangladesh: BNP workers assault journalist inside Khaleda Zia’s office in Dhaka
https://www.newagebd.net/post/Country/279605/journalist-beaten-at-bnp-chairpersons-gulshan-office
