Bangladeshi Journalist Brutally Killed in Bagerhat, Two Suspects Arrested

October 07, 2025 – Bangladesh – 

Bangladeshi journalist SM Hayat Uddin, a reporter for the daily Bhorer Chetana, was brutally hacked to death in the Harikhali area of Bagerhat district on Friday night, sparking outrage among journalists and press-freedom advocates across the country. According to witnesses, Hayat Uddin was attacked by several unidentified assailants armed with sharp weapons while returning home around 8 p.m. Locals rushed him to Khulna Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. He was 42 years old.

Hayat Uddin was not only an active journalist but also politically engaged, having recently sought election as organizing secretary of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s Bagerhat Municipality unit. His killing, reportedly in connection with local political disputes and his investigative work, has raised alarm about the worsening climate of violence against journalists in Bangladesh. Following his death, reporters and media workers in Bagerhat and Dhaka formed human chains and staged protests demanding swift justice and accountability for his killers.

Within days, the Detective Branch (DB) of police arrested two suspects believed to be involved in the murder: Md Omar Faruk, known as Emon Howlader, and Md Ashiqul Islam Ashiq, both aged 25. Acting on intelligence, DB officers raided Room 118 of the New Golden City Residential Hotel in Dhaka’s Ashulia area, detaining the pair on October 6. Authorities later confirmed that both suspects gave confessional statements before a court in Dhaka. Investigators indicated that more individuals are being tracked in connection with the killing, suggesting the attack may have been coordinated and politically motivated.

The Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) reported that the murder was premeditated and possibly linked to Hayat Uddin’s outspoken coverage of local corruption. The TBS News and Dhaka Tribune further noted that police have expanded their inquiry to determine whether the assailants had affiliations with any organized groups.

The incident underscores the ongoing peril faced by journalists in Bangladesh, where intimidation, arrests, and violent reprisals have increasingly undermined press freedom. Hayat Uddin’s death marks yet another reminder of the country’s persistent impunity in crimes against the press — a chilling reality that continues to silence independent voices demanding transparency and truth.

Reference –

https://www.bssnews.net/others/318741

https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/nation/393188/journalist-hacked-to-death-in-bagerhat

https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/2-accused-journalist-murder-case-bagerhat-arrested-dhaka-1254931