Dr. Yunus Seizes Media Freedom: 640 Journalists Face Repression in 8 Months

Staff Correspondent

On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day 2025, the Rights and Risk Analysis Group (RRAG) published its report titled “Bangladesh: Seizure of Press Freedom Under Dr. Muhammad Yunus.”

The report states that during the first eight months of the interim government led by Dr. Yunus (August 2024 to March 2025), Bangladesh’s media faced systematic and organized suppression. During this period, a total of 640 journalists were targeted.

Among them, 182 journalists faced criminal cases, 206 were subjected to violence, 167 had their press accreditations revoked, and investigations were launched against 85 senior journalists by the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), the government’s anti-terrorism and anti-money laundering unit.

To completely silence the media, investigations were initiated against 85 senior journalists from 39 media outlets, including Bangladesh Pratidin, National Press Club, DBC News, bdnews24.com, Kaler Kantho, ATN News, Bangla Insider, Samakal, Amader Somoy, Boishakhi TV, Daily Sun, News24, Jugantor, Swadesh Pratidin, Daily Mukhapatra, Ittefaq, Daily Kalbela, TV Today, Daily Amar Somoy, Daily Bangla, Independent24.tv, SomoyNews.tv, Dhaka Times, Bangladesh Post, Nagorik TV, Sangbad Sangstha, Channel i, Daily Janakantha, Daily Global TV, Daily Jugantor, Daily Khola Kagoj, Daily Jatiya Arthoniti, Amader Orthoniti, Ekushey TV, Ekattor TV, Ekushey Sangbad, and MY TV, on money laundering charges from October 2024 to January 2025.

The report states that under Dr. Yunus’s leadership, the entire media in Bangladesh has been silenced.

According to the RRAG report, unprecedented pressure has been exerted on the media through 182 mostly false criminal cases against journalists, violence against 206, revocation of accreditations for 167, and BFIU investigations against 85 senior journalists. These incidents indicate a deep crisis for press freedom in Bangladesh.