New Delhi, 04 August 2025: The Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) in its report, “Bangladesh: Media Freedom Murdered By Dr Mohammad Yunus”, released today on the occasion of one year of the fall of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stated that press freedom in Bangladesh has deteriorated further and the attacks on the journalists (878 journalists) under Chief Advisor Dr Mohammed Yunus from August 2024 to July 2025 increased by about 230% in comparison to attacks (383 journalists) under former Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina from August 2023 to July 2024.
Giving further details of the attacks on the journalists under Dr Yunus, RRAG Director Mr Suhas Chakma stated, “the number criminal cases filed against journalists under Dr Yunus (195 cases) during 2024-2025 increased by 558% in comparison to the number of cases (35 cases) filed against journalists under Hasina during 2023-2024. While Hasina’s regime was not known to have denied any accreditation to journalists, Dr Yunus used accreditation as an instrument to punish the journalists allegedly associated with the previous regime and denied accreditation to 167 journalists. During 2023-2024, Hasina’s regime was not known to have used the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), anti-money laundering agency of the country, against the journalists but Dr Yunus let loose the BFIU which issued notices to 107 journalists. Finally, while 348 journalists faced acts of violence and criminal intimidation under Sheikh Hasina’s regime, mostly during the July 2024 uprising, about 431 journalists faced acts of violence and criminal intimidation under Dr Yunus”.
The situation of the media continues to deteriorate under Dr Yunus. On 25 June 2025, journalist Khandaker Shah Alam, a correspondent of Daily Matrijagat, was murdered at Nabinagar Upazila, in Dhaka’s northeast, in a targeted retaliation by Babul Mia, known locally as ‘Tiger Babul Dakat’ after he was released from prison. On 27 July 2025, the Cyber Tribunal of Dhaka issued arrest warrants against three journalists, Bangladesh Pratidin Editor Naem Nizam, its publisher Moynal Hossain Chowdhury and news portal Bangla Insider’s Chief Editor Syed Borhan Kabir under the Digital Security Act (DSA) despite a declaration by Law Adviser Asif Nazrul on 27 June 2025 that all cases under the DSA had been withdrawn. On 21 April 2025, Kongkon Karmaker was dismissed by The Daily Star as Dinajpur correspondent only because his report about the death of religious minority Bhabesh Chandra Roy was picked up by multiple Indian media outlets and India’s Ministry of External Affairs.
“In order to silence the media, Chief Advisor of Bangladesh Dr Mohammed Yunus established “CA Press Wing Facts” as the defecto censorship authority by other means, the manufacturer of the government version of the truth, and intimidate the media houses and NGOs including the Rights & Risks Analysis Group through disinformation”.- also stated Mr Chakma.
“The British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has provided funding of £474,468 to strengthen the Office of the Chief Adviser’s capacity on reform management and strategic communications under its “Bangladesh-Collaborative, Accountable and Peaceful Politics (B-CAPP) Programme” and this has come to mean supporting the “CA Press Wing Facts”. Across the world, Fact Checking Units of the governments have been declared as instruments to violate freedom of opinion and expression, and the support to the “CA Press Wing Facts” of Dr Yunus is a bad template that poses a risk to the free world.” – further stated Mr Chakma.
The RRAG stated that it will approach the international community including the Human Rights (Joint Committee) of the United Kingdom seeking review support to the Interim Government of Bangladesh on governance issues and consider withdrawing bilateral support in the light of the absolute silencing of the media in the country.
