Expressing deep concern over the forced takeover of the Daily Janakantha management, the freedom of the media, and the safety of journalists, the Newspaper Owners Association of Bangladesh (NOAB) has said that the expectations of the people have not been fulfilled in the last year.
In a statement signed by NOAB President AK Azad on Thursday, the organisation said that the countrymen were united with the expectation of establishing a free, impartial, and democratic society through a mass uprising.
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People thought that the fundamental rights, such as freedom of information, expression of opinion, and freedom of the media, would be ensured.
NOAB also expressed its regret over the state of the media and freedom of expression in the latest report by Transparency International, Bangladesh (TIB).
The NOAB statement said that there has been an attempt to evict entrepreneurs and collect their demands by creating a โmobโ in the daily Janakantha newspaper.
โIf there are any debts or dues of the employees, it should be resolved through the labour court. A complaint could have been filed with the Bangladesh Press Council to resolve any dispute related to news or content. But instead of doing so, an unpleasant situation has been created in the newspaper’s office and portal.โ
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Referring to the picture of torture and harassment against journalists that emerged in the TIB report, the NOAB statement said that in the last year (August 2024 to July 2025), 496 journalists have been harassed.
Of them, 266 have been accused in murder cases related to the movement. Three journalists have been killed while performing their duties.
At least 24 media workers have been removed from their posts; editors of eight newspapers and news chiefs of 11 private television channels have been dismissed.
Considering the situation, NOAB has demanded that the government take urgent steps to ensure media freedom in building a free and democratic society. The culture of creating mobs in any newspaper or media outlet and threatening and intimidating the owners must be stopped.
“We believe that ensuring the security and freedom of the media will further strengthen the foundation of a democratic state,” NOAB said.
Journalists, civil society concerned
Since the fall of the Awami League government, the country’s media have come under new pressure. Journalists are praised if reports are positive, but intimidated if any report goes against the Yunus regime.
Such views came from a dialogue on media freedom held on Wednesday. The Centre for Governance Studies (CGS) organised the event.
Editor of the Daily Manabzamin, Matiur Rahman Chowdhury, said that during the interim government, journalism was called free. Journalism is free if it goes in someone’s favour. But if it goes against, there is concern. Then, mob violence starts.
He said that many journalists are now on the run, many have gone abroad, and many are embroiled in cases. The reason for this is politics. Sick politics has swallowed journalists. If journalism is not free from politics, it will not be free.
He said that journalists have been subjected to pressure because of supporting the government for political reasons and taking advantage.
Prof SM Shamim Reza of Dhaka University said that the issue of media freedom is absent in the extensive discussion on the Constitution. He raised the question of whether journalists will be deprived of other legal protection by bringing up the issue of media self-regulation.
He said that the injustices and pressure that are being faced by journalists will not be resolved; the matter should not be like this.
Commenting that the media should be given complete freedom, Georgia State University PhD researcher Asif bin Ali said that Bangladesh now experiences ad hoc freedom, or freedom in specific areas.
โIf someone is familiar with the government’s ‘press team,’ there is ‘freedom’ for them. And if someone made mistakes during the previous government’s time and now wants to do journalism, there is no freedom for them. A recent example of this is the daily Janakantha.โ
He said that the actors behind it were active under different names during the previous government. Now they have become active again. He said that the situation is now complicated. If the rule of law is not ensured, there will be no freedom of the media.
Highlighting the ownership situation of the Bangladeshi media, Asif said that Bangladesh is a country where a large group like Bashundhara Group can create the entire media industry and legitimise the business of land grabbing.
Executive President of Gono Forum Subrata Chowdhury said that the independence of the judiciary and the freedom of the media have now become a golden treasure.
Regarding the loss of jobs of journalists during the current government, Chief Editor of Maasranga Television Rezawanul Haque said: โThree journalists have lost their jobs because of asking questions. Of course, the government did not take these jobs. The government has not told the media houses who they should fire. The owner of the media house has taken jobs for himself to save his own back.โ
Mahbub Morshed, Editor-in-Chief of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), questioned how the wage board was left out of the report of the Media Reform Commission.
Manjurul Islam, Executive Editor of Bangladesh Pratidin, commented that the media is being taken over by mobs.
Supreme Court lawyer Shihab Uddin said that the countryโs press law does not provide protection to journalists or newspapers. Although there are limitations in the Press Council Act, even the limited jurisdiction it has is not implemented.
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