496 journalists tortured during Yunus’s tenure, 4 killed: Months in prison without trial

❐ BD Digest Desk

Yunus came to power on August 5, 2024, after overthrowing the Awami League government. Since then, the country’s media has been in a state of utter chaos – a series of cases, arrests, harassment and torture against journalists. The bodies of four journalists have been recovered. Many more have gone into hiding.

Anti-corruption NGO Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) said that 496 journalists across the country were subjected to harassment during Yunus’ tenure. Of these, 266 were indicted in July cases claiming involvement in murder or violence.

The organization released this information on August 4th of last year.

The data from the human rights organization Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK) is even more worrying.

In just one year, from April 2025 to March this year, 389 journalists were subjected to torture or harassment. During this period, the bodies of four journalists were recovered and 19 cases were filed against journalists.

ASK reports that, in addition to law enforcement and terrorists, leaders and activists of BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, National Citizens Party (NCP), and the Students Against Discrimination (BAISA) movement were also directly involved in the incident of journalist persecution.

Imprisoned professional journalists

Notable journalists arrested include former Ekattor Television news chief Shakil Ahmed and former chief reporter-presenter Farzana Rupa. They were arrested by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Intelligence Division from the airport on August 21, 2024. They were later shown arrested in a murder case that took place in Uttara in the capital during the Baisah movement and the murder case of garment worker Rubel in Adabora.

They have been in prison for more than a year and a half and have not yet been granted bail.

In September of the same year, two prominent journalists – former editor-in-chief of Ekattor Television Mozammel Babu and editor of Bhorer Kagoj – were arrested ‘from the Dhobaura border area of ​​Mymensingh’ (according to the security forces). They were shown arrested in multiple murder cases in July. They have been in jail since then and their bail applications have been rejected several times.

Shawkat Mahmud, former president of the National Press Club and Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and secretary general of Janata Party Bangladesh, was arrested under the Anti-Terrorism Act in December last year. He is still in jail. In addition, in August last year, Dhaka Metropolitan Police arrested MyTV Chairman Md. Nasir Uddin in a murder case filed during the Baisah movement.

All the strange allegations behind the arrest of journalists

The futility of such a fabricated case is most clearly illustrated in the case of Shahnaz Sharmin, a senior journalist of Ekattor Television. She broadcasted live from the main gate of Bangabhaban from the afternoon of August 5, 2024 to 11 pm, which has documentary evidence and was also broadcast on other television channels.

However, he has also been named as an accused in a murder case filed in connection with the shooting death of a young man in the Bhashantek area of ​​Mirpur in the capital on the same afternoon.

Shahnaz Sharmin said that the allegations in the case filed against her are completely false. How can the same person live in two places at the same time? Now it is the responsibility of the state to look into the matter.

Professional journalists also acknowledge that journalists are not above criticism and that if there is a complaint against someone, there is a legal avenue for redress. But they believe that the widespread inclusion of names in murder cases and their detention without trial for months is questioning the very concept of justice.

Newspaper Owners Association of Bangladesh (NOAB) President and Manabzamin Editor-in-Chief Matiur Rahman Chowdhury said, “If we talk about the rule of law, then it is not appropriate to detain someone without trial and not grant bail day after day. The matter should be resolved. We have told the Honorable Prime Minister on behalf of NOAB. We hope that the matter will be resolved soon.”

Senior journalist Anis Alamgir was granted bail on March 14 after the newly elected BNP government took office. On December 14, 2025, he was taken for questioning from a gym in the capital’s Dhanmondi and was shown arrested in multiple cases, including under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

In addition, the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) has not found any truth in the allegations made against 28 journalists in Chittagong. These incidents have instilled some optimism among those concerned.

Police statement

Police Headquarters spokesperson Assistant Inspector General of Police (Media and Public Relations) AHM Shahadat Hossain said that the cases related to July are sensitive and each case is being scrutinized.

He said that if no one is found guilty in the investigation, the investigating officer is applying for exemption and if evidence is found, a charge sheet is being filed according to the law.

The futility of the hopes for change that were raised during the so-called movement is already clear. Months of journalists in prison, hundreds of cases, and the murder of four colleagues – this picture carries a message of deep concern for the journalism profession in Bangladesh.