TIB reports 1,073 journalists subjected to repression in a single year

At least 1,073 journalists across Bangladesh experienced various forms of repression in 476 incidents between August 5, 2024, and November 1, 2025, according to a study released by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) on Tuesday.

The findings were revealed at TIB’s Dhanmondi office during the publication of a research report and the award ceremony for the TIB Investigative Journalism Awards 2025.

This year, four journalists and one documentary programme were honoured in multiple categories.

In the Regional Newspaper category, the award went to Faisal Islam, Senior Staff Reporter at Daily Gramer Kagoj (Jessore), and Ashiqur Rahman Shimul, Staff Reporter at the same outlet.

In the National Newspaper category, Rashidul Hasan, Senior Staff Reporter at The Daily Sun, was named the winner.

In the Television (Report) category, the award was given to Mufti Parvez Nadir Reza, former Special Correspondent at Ekattor TV and currently Head of Input and Planning Editor at Channel One. Each winner received a certificate, a crest, and Tk 125,000.

The Television (Documentary Programme) award was presented to Searchlight, aired on Channel 24 and led by Md Faizul Alam Siddique, now a Special Correspondent at Star News. The documentary team received Tk 150,000 along with a certificate and crest.

The report, titled “The State of Media in Post-Authoritarian Bangladesh,” was presented by TIB Assistant Coordinator (Outreach and Communication) Jafar Sadiq on the occasion of International Anti-Corruption Day 2025.

According to the findings, journalists faced a wide range of violations, including physical attacks, lawsuits, murder, threats, harassment, detention, attacks on family members, vandalism, dismissal, removal from duties, and suspension.

A total of 459 journalists were attacked in 259 incidents, while 99 journalists received threats in 89 incidents.

Another 70 journalists were harassed in 30 incidents, and 27 were detained in 19 incidents. Family members of 17 journalists were attacked or had their homes vandalised in nine incidents. Six journalists were murdered during the reporting period.

Additionally, 189 journalists were fired, suspended, or stripped of responsibilities across five incidents.

Regionally, Dhaka Division accounted for the highest number of incidents at 35%, followed by Chattogram (14%), Khulna (11%), Rangpur and Rajshahi (10% each), Barisal (9%), Mymensingh (6%), and Sylhet (5%).

Sadiq noted that journalists had long faced enforced disappearance, murder, harassment, and politically driven lawsuits under the previous authoritarian regime, reinforced by repressive laws and state actions. Although that regime has since collapsed, he said, the pattern of violations has not disappeared entirely. Some of those targeted, he added, were individuals who had benefited from or were linked to the former ruling system.

Source: Dhaka Tribune