Bangladesh Editors’ Council condemned the attack on journalists in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi, demanding a swift and impartial investigation. The incident has intensified concerns over press freedom, journalist safety, political violence, and growing attacks on media professionals across Bangladesh.
Bangladesh’s Editors’ Council has strongly condemned the recent attack on journalists in the capital’s Dhanmondi area, describing the incident as a serious assault on press freedom and demanding a swift, impartial, and credible investigation into those responsible.
According to local media reports, the attack occurred on June 23 in the Dhanmondi 32 area, where journalists had gathered to cover a political programme organised by the Dhaka South unit of the Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami. The Council alleged that several journalists were assaulted by party workers, who accused them of supporting the Awami League.
Among those injured were Jamuna Television Senior Reporter Rabbi Siddiqui and Daily Sakal Multimedia Reporter Mahfuzur Rahman Shishir. Both journalists reportedly sustained injuries while performing their professional duties at the scene.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Editors’ Council rejected suggestions that the violence resulted merely from a “misunderstanding,” stressing that no circumstances can justify attacks on journalists engaged in legitimate news gathering.
“There can be no justification for attacking journalists while they are carrying out their professional duties,” the Council stated, emphasizing that such incidents undermine press freedom, obstruct journalists’ constitutional right to collect information, and weaken freedom of expression.
The Council urged law enforcement agencies to conduct a transparent and credible investigation to identify every individual involved in the assault and ensure that appropriate legal action is taken against those responsible.
Additionally, the organisation called upon the authorities to guarantee a safe and secure working environment where journalists can report freely without fear of intimidation, harassment, or physical violence.
Witnesses quoted by Bangladeshi media outlet Views Bangladesh alleged that Jamaat workers assaulted Daily Sakal reporter Mahfuzur Rahman Shishir by grabbing him by the collar before repeatedly punching and kicking him after he fell to the ground.
Speaking to fellow journalists following the attack, Shishir condemned the violence, saying, “Jamaat activists have beaten and injured me. This is shameful. You talk about press freedom. Is grabbing a journalist by the collar and beating him an example of that freedom?”
The latest incident has further intensified concerns over the deteriorating state of media freedom in Bangladesh. Journalists’ organisations and civil society groups have repeatedly warned that attacks on media professionals have become increasingly frequent amid heightened political tensions.
Media observers note that violence against journalists has continued since the tenure of the previous interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus and has persisted under the current Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led government.
Earlier this month, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), an international press freedom organisation, urged Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to fulfil his government’s commitment to protecting independent journalism following its first 100 days in office.
CPJ Asia-Pacific Programme Coordinator Kunal Majumder stated that successive governments in Bangladesh have often used legal mechanisms against journalists perceived to support previous administrations. He urged the government to demonstrate genuine commitment to media freedom by ending politically motivated cases against journalists, releasing imprisoned media professionals, protecting reporters from mob violence, ending smear campaigns, and reforming laws that facilitate the suppression of independent journalism.
According to CPJ, dozens of journalists whose reporting was viewed as supportive of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have been detained or charged since August 2024, raising serious concerns among international press freedom advocates about the shrinking space for independent journalism in Bangladesh.
The Editors’ Council has reiterated that protecting journalists is essential for maintaining democratic values, ensuring government accountability, and safeguarding the public’s right to information. The organisation warned that unless perpetrators of attacks against media professionals are held accountable, such incidents could create an atmosphere of fear that discourages independent reporting and weakens democratic institutions.
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The latest attack in Dhaka has once again placed the spotlight on journalist safety and press freedom in Bangladesh, with domestic and international organisations urging authorities to ensure justice, strengthen legal protections for media professionals, and uphold the principles of free and independent journalism.
