A total of 51 journalists have issued a statement demanding bail for jailed journalists, an end to harassment against media professionals, and condemning threats to the media.
The statement was released on Monday, confirmed former president of Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU), Syed Shukur Ali Shuvo.
The statement said that in recent times, journalists in the country have faced murder charges, job termination, attacks on media outlets, and even incidents as extreme as mob lynching. Yet, no one responsible for these incidents has been held accountable.
Citing reports published in various media outlets, the statement said that from July to December of last year, 10 journalists were killed.
In an 11-month span, 412 journalists were sued, 39 arrested, 168 had their press accreditation revoked, over 100 lost their jobs, more than 300 faced travel bans, several journalists had their bank accounts frozen, and 101 were expelled from national and local press clubs.
Additionally, it stated that journalist associations have been taken over, and the Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) office has remained locked for the past 11 months.
The statement further said that while obtaining bail is a constitutional right, many journalists remain in prison for months without trial, which amounts to a severe violation of human rights.
Urging the government to take action, the statement says: “We hope the interim government will rise above political affiliations to improve the situation, curb mob violence, and ensure journalists' professional security by ending all forms of harassment.”
They also expressed deep concern that nearly a year into the interim government’s tenure, there has been no visible improvement in the situation.