Seven Human Rights Groups Condemn Rising Violence, Issue Six Recommendations

Seven international human rights organizations have strongly condemned the attacks and vandalism on Prothom Alo, The Daily Star, and Chhayanaut, as well as the killing of Dipu Chandra Das. In a joint statement, they said that the apparently coordinated acts of violence indicate a serious and alarming new dimension of ongoing attacks on independent media, journalists, human rights defenders, and cultural spaces in Bangladesh. At the same time, they issued six recommendations to Bangladesh’s interim government.

The statement said:

1. Immediate and effective protection must be ensured nationwide for journalists, media workers, media outlets, cultural and intellectual institutions, and the individuals associated with them. Where credible threats exist, adequate security measures must be put in place.
2. The attacks on Prothom Alo, The Daily Star, and Chhayanaut, as well as other attacks against journalists, media workers, and artists, must be investigated promptly, independently, and transparently. All perpetrators, planners, and instigators must be held accountable through due legal process, and effective remedies must be ensured for victims or their heirs.
3. In coordination with technology companies and social media platforms, timely, proportionate, and preventive action must be taken against hate speech and incitement to violence. During the election period, protective mechanisms must be developed jointly with civil society and human rights organizations to safeguard users’ security and freedom of expression on these platforms.
4. All forms of violence, intimidation, and harassment against journalists, media, and cultural and intellectual institutions must be publicly and unequivocally condemned, and the state’s commitment to protecting freedom of expression and cultural life must be reaffirmed.
5. Ahead of the 2026 national elections, a safe and enabling environment must be ensured—both online and offline—for journalism, cultural expression, and civic participation.

6. National laws, policies, and practices must be aligned with Bangladesh’s Constitution and its international human rights obligations, including the ICCPR, to ensure the protection of freedom of expression, media freedom, and personal security.

    

The organizations that signed the statement are: Access Now, Article 19, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Human Rights Watch (HRW), the International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP), Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka (JDS), and the Tech Global Institute.

The statement expressed solidarity with journalists, media workers, artists, and diverse communities in Bangladesh. It said: “We reaffirm our commitment to defending freedom of expression, accountability, and the right to safe and free participation in civic and cultural life, both offline and online.”

The statement further said that the organizations are deeply alarmed by credible reports that Dipu Chandra Das was beaten to death in public and his body burned in Bhaluka upazila of Mymensingh on allegations of making ‘derogatory remarks’ about religion.