The free press coming under threat in Bangladesh is nothing out of the ordinary. Indeed, under the authoritarian rule of the previous government, the press was only only effectively cowed into silence and submission, but the censorship also resulted in the wider public steadily losing faith over the very idea of journalism itself.
When Sheikh Hasina’s government was toppled, there was renewed hope that the assault on journalism would cease, a hope that was buoyed by the interim government’s repeated assurances that it stands on the side of journalists.
When Sheikh Hasina’s government was toppled, there was renewed hope that the assault on journalism would cease, a hope that was buoyed by the interim government’s repeated assurances that it stands on the side of journalists.
However, when the government seemingly contradicts its own promises and sanctions journalists by way of blacklists and tendentious court cases, it also paves the way for hostility towards the press on the part of political figures and others who are no ally of free expression.
To that end, the recent statement made by a convenor of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, expressing belligerence towards media outlets which “support fascism,” does nothing to further the goal of a free press and, ironically, perpetuates the culture of fear which held the press back for more than a decade under Sheikh Hasina’s rule.
To that end, the recent statement made by a convenor of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, expressing belligerence towards media outlets which “support fascism,” does nothing to further the goal of a free press and, ironically, perpetuates the culture of fear which held the press back for more than a decade under Sheikh Hasina’s rule.
We understand that there is still a lot of justified anger on the part of the general public when it comes to the previous government, but targeting or threatening journalists has historically proven itself counter-productive in any democracy. The best way to counter speech that you disagree with is more speech, not to seek to silence those you take issue with, however noxious you may find their views.
There is no denying that journalism can indeed be carried out under bad faith by biased actors, however a call that sounds very much like it is advocating for violence is not the way to counter any form of partisanship or even bad or problematic journalism, or even propaganda in the guise of objective journalism.
There is no denying that journalism can indeed be carried out under bad faith by biased actors, however a call that sounds very much like it is advocating for violence is not the way to counter any form of partisanship or even bad or problematic journalism, or even propaganda in the guise of objective journalism.
The problem with the media environment under the previous regime was not that their media mouthpieces were free to peddle propaganda so much as it was that opposing voices were silenced. If opposing voices had been given free rein, the problem would have solved itself. We need more media freedom, not less.
An environment which allows a free press to thrive is the only way forward to this end, as it would result in bias and bad journalism to be called out and filtered autonomously. Threats only work to perpetuate a climate of fear and self-censorship, if not outright bias.
For Bangladesh to truly stake its claim on becoming a democracy once again, it needs a thriving media landscape, free of threats and control.
For Bangladesh to truly stake its claim on becoming a democracy once again, it needs a thriving media landscape, free of threats and control.
We would hope that our political leaders, both current and future, and those who aspire to popular leadership, understand this.
