CPJ urges Bangladesh to protect journalists as protests oust PM Hasina

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published last year |  CPJ News Alert

NEW YORK—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the latest attacks on dozens of journalists covering anti-government protests in Bangladesh and calls on the country's interim government to urgently ensure the safety of the media following Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation on Monday.

"All sides in Bangladesh must ensure that journalists can report safely during this delicate time of political transition," said CPJ Asia Program Coordinator Beh Lih Yi. "The attacks on journalists and the blocking of internet and phone service during recent weeks of protests are unacceptable and need to stop immediately."

At least three Bangladeshi journalists were killed covering unrest in July and dozens more were assaulted either by police, supporters of Hasina's Awami League party, or protesters. Another journalist, Daily Khoborpatra newspaper correspondent Pradip Kumar Bhowmik, was reported killed on Sunday in northwest Sirajganj city, as well as other fresh attacks on the press.

Sunday's renewed violence saw further attacks on the media, including The Business Standard newspaper reporters Miraz Hossain and Jahidul Islam, who were beaten in the capital Dhaka by supporters of the Jubo League, the youth wing of the Awami League, Hossain told CPJ.

In addition, the Dhaka offices of multiple pro-Awami League broadcasters including Somoy TV, Ekattor TV, and DBC News, were vandalized on Monday.

On Sunday, the government ordered its second mobile internet shutdown in three weeks and on Monday broadband services were suspended for about three hours. Services resumed Monday afternoon as Hasina fled the country after protesters stormed her palace.

Army spokesperson Sami-Ud-Dowla Chowdhury and the Jubo League General Secretary Mainul Hossain Khan Nikhil did not respond to CPJ's requests for comment via messaging app.

Photo: Mohammad Ponir Hossain-Reuters