No alternative to unity for journalists
We share the concerns of media professionals regarding journalists’ safety and the persistent threats to press freedom that, unfortunately, did not subside even a year and a half after the July 2024 uprising, as had been expected. At the first edition of the Media Convention on Saturday, journalists from across the country expressed frustration with the government’s failure to curb intolerance and prevent attacks on press freedom. Several media personalities also criticised the government’s slow response when the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star were vandalised and set on fire.
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The mass uprising, which led to the ousting of Sheikh Hasina’s regime that had largely silenced the media through draconian laws, had instilled hope for an environment where press freedom could thrive. Instead, journalists and media houses now face new forms of intimidation from hegemonic groups and social media influencers whose aim seems to be the vilification of the press. Incitement of mobs against media houses has been weaponised, shrinking the space for facts, historical truths, and pluralistic or critical viewpoints. Although the use of draconian laws against journalists is not as rampant as during Hasina’s rule, arrests in dubious cases continue. Worse still, certain groups are adopting the same tactics previously employed by regime-backed goons, labelling journalists as enemies of the state or of the July spirit to justify their actions.
As Nurul Kabir, president of the Editors’ Council and editor of the New Age, pointed out, disagreement with a newspaper’s editorial stance does not give anyone the right to vandalise its office or attempt to harm journalists. Also, if other media houses do not speak out against such acts, there is no guarantee that they will not be the next target. That is why unity within the media is essential. Partisan divisions, the practice of treating editorial positions as political appointments, and similar trends have already damaged mainstream media’s credibility and weakened the sector.
Therefore, when it comes to journalists’ safety and press freedom, the media must stand united regardless of their internal differences, as Matiur Rahman, editor of Prothom Alo, has rightly said. He also warned that a new government would not magically resolve problems faced by journalists. There was a general expectation that the current interim government would carry out long-awaited reforms as recommended by the media reform commission, but hardly any has been actually implemented. Even the draft journalist protection law, so crucial in the present context of Bangladesh, has yet to see the light of day.
In such circumstances, one can only hope that a democratically elected government will take concrete action to enact the journalist protection law and implement the commission’s other recommendations. This is why a return to the democratic process through the upcoming election is essential, allowing the media to hold those in power accountable and operate freely without fear for journalists’ safety.
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