May 03, 2026
Today, May 3, marks World Press Freedom Day. On this significant occasion, the Anti-Oppression Journalist Front has issued a strong demand for the withdrawal of all "false" murder cases filed against journalists and the unconditional release of those currently imprisoned. The organization also expressed deep concern over Bangladesh’s three-notch decline in the Global World Press Freedom Index.
In conjunction with World Press Freedom Day, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) released the 2026 World Press Freedom Index, which evaluates the safety of journalists and the independence of the press globally. According to the report, Bangladesh has slipped to 152nd place among 180 countries, down from 149th last year. The Journalist Front described this decline as an alarming signal for the country’s state of media freedom.
In a joint statement issued this Sunday, the organization’s Convener, Akhtar Hossain, and Member Secretary, Sheikh Jamal, highlighted the unprecedented crisis facing the journalism profession. The statement alleged that since the political transition on August 5, 2024, journalists have faced systemic harassment and brutal oppression.
According to data provided by the organization, media professionals have faced the following since the transition:
• Over 500 journalists implicated in "ghost" (baseless) murder cases across the country.
• Dozens of journalists arrested and 13 journalists killed.
• Approximately 1,200 journalists unfairly terminated from their jobs.
• 168 professional journalists had their accreditation cards revoked.
• Membership of over 700 journalists at the National Press Club and other press clubs canceled or suspended.
• Illegal travel bans imposed on over 50 journalists, along with the unlawful freezing of their bank accounts.
The leaders emphasized that a democratic state cannot function without a free press. To rectify the situation, they placed several demands before the government, including:
1. Immediate release of all imprisoned journalists and withdrawal of murder charges.
2. Ensuring justice for the killings of journalists and reinstating those terminated.
3. Reopening the locked offices of the DUJ (Dhaka Union of Journalists) and BFUJ (Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists).
4. Restoring suspended press club memberships and revoked accreditation cards.
5. Withdrawing orders to freeze bank accounts and lifting illegal travel bans.
The statement, signed by Joint Convener Zakir Hossain Imon, warned that failure to ensure a free environment for journalism would lead to a total collapse of the country’s democratic structure.
