Leading human rights organisations have expressed concern over escalating attacks on journalists, human rights defenders, and individuals exercising their right to freedom of expression in Bangladesh. They have called on the interim government to take urgent measures to safeguard freedom of opinion and ensure accountability for perpetrators of violence and harassment.
Nine organisations, including Amnesty International, Article 19, the Asian Forum for Human Rights & Development, CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, Fortify Rights, Front Line Defenders, Human Rights Watch, PEN America, and the Committee to Protect Journalists, jointly expressed their concerns in a statement published on Amnesty International’s website on 21 March.
The statement reads, “In February alone, a series of violent incidents targeted journalists across the country. On 3 February, a journalist in Shariatpur was brutally attacked with hammers and knives after reporting on alleged medical negligence at a private clinic. On the same day, four other journalists in Laxmipur were assaulted by masked men wielding bamboo sticks and firing guns. In separate incidents, journalists faced attacks in Dhaka, Thakurgaon, and even within the Supreme Court premises.”
“Authors and human rights defenders have also been targeted. A bookstall at the Amar Ekushey Book Fair was attacked on February 10 over allegations of selling books by controversial writer Taslima Nasreen. Poet Sohel Galib was arrested on 13 February under charges of "hurting religious sentiment," while human rights defender Rakhal Raha faces investigation for a satirical Facebook post questioning freedom of expression,” said the statement.
The organisations condemned the misuse of Bangladesh's Cyber Security Act (CSA), which has been widely criticized for restricting freedom of expression under the pretext of protecting religious sentiment. Despite the interim government's pledge to repeal the CSA, the proposed Cyber Protection Ordinance (CPO) retains many problematic provisions.
Human rights groups emphasised that these legal frameworks contravene Bangladesh’s commitments under Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which upholds the right to freedom of expression.
The organisations have outlined a series of actions for the interim government:
- Conduct transparent consultations with civil society on draft legislation and ensure compliance with international human rights standards.
- Drop all criminal charges against individuals detained for exercising their right to free speech.
- Repeal laws allowing restrictions on freedom of expression based on religion or religious sentiment.
- Investigate attacks on journalists and ensure perpetrators are held accountable through fair trials.
- Provide protection for journalists, media workers, and human rights defenders against violence and intimidation.
They called for a break from the country’s history of repression, urging the interim government to promote an environment where journalists and citizens can freely express their opinions without fear of reprisal.
