Bangladesh Ignores Maltreatment Of Media Through Decades

Last updated on February 16th, 2022 at 04:19 am

Bangladesh – The maltreatment and disrespect of media fraternity in Bangladesh is a huge matter of concern. The increasing sense of impunity is appalling. Even after a decade, there has been no action over the death of two senior journalists in the country.

Apart from Sagar Sarowar and his wife who were brutally murdered in front of their five-year-old son, atleast 15 more journalists have lost their lives. The experts said it is widely believed they were targeted because of their investigative reporting on corruption in Bangladesh’s energy sector which they were about to publish.  

Despite the court asking the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) to submit a detailed investigative report about Mr. Sarowar’s murder, there has been no such action taken. As the country’s elite force, they have not presented any report to the Bangladesh High Court.

The UN experts have received numerous reports of journalists, activists, and members of civil society groups being arbitrarily detained, attacked, abducted, threatened, and subjected to judicial harassment.  

These incidents appear to be rarely investigated or prosecuted, and in some cases local authorities are thought to be directly implicated in the attacks.  The UN experts have received numerous reports of journalists, activists, and members of civil society groups being arbitrarily detained, attacked, abducted, threatened, and subjected to judicial harassment.   These incidents appear to be rarely investigated or prosecuted, and in some cases local authorities are thought to be directly implicated in the attacks.