Bangladeshi Journalists Facing Intensified Danger Under Interim Government

September 06, 2025 – Bangladesh –

A recent analysis by Eurasia Review paints a troubling picture: journalists in Bangladesh are increasingly vulnerable amid escalating violence, political chaos, and targeting by both authorities and extremist actors under the interim government led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus. The report underscores that, rather than heralding improved freedoms, the post-Hasina transition has subjected media workers to physical attacks, harassment, and fear.

The article begins with the mysterious death of Bibhu Ranjan Sarkar (71), Senior Assistant Editor of Ajker Patrika, whose body was found in Munshiganj’s Meghna River on August 22 after sending an ominously final letter to bdnews24.com that warned: “Speaking truth means risking life…”: That chilling message encapsulates the growing peril for journalists.

Since August 2024, the country has witnessed at least three journalist killings, six assaults, and hundreds more cases of harassment. Notable recent incidents include the fatal stabbing of reporter Asaduzzaman Tuhin in Gazipur and the bludgeoning of Executive Editor Helal Hossain Kabir and his mother in Lalmonirhat. Violent attacks have varied from market-place stabbings to mob assaults—even in the presence of police.

Institutional repression has also surged. From January to June 2025, the Human Rights Support Society reported 257 harassment incidents against journalists, with 111 injuries and 152 attacks. Meanwhile, 266 journalists have been implicated in criminal charges tied to the unrest in July-August 2024, spanning cities like Dhaka, Chattogram, and Munshiganj.

The analysis warns that the relaxed stance of Yunus’s interim government toward radical Islamist groups, including the release of extremists and their integration into governance, has intensified journalists’ exposure to threats.

Reference – 

Bangladesh: Journalists At The Mercy Of The Interim Regime – Analysis