International Desk : Voice of Calcutta

Under the interim rule of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, Bangladesh has witnessed one of the darkest phases for press freedom in its history. Since August 5, 2024, several of the country’s most senior and respected journalists have been detained for nearly 18 months on what critics describe as fabricated and politically motivated charges, simply for being labelled “associates of the former regime.”

Among those imprisoned are National Press Club General Secretary and Dainik Bhorer Kagoj editor Shyamal Dutta, Managing Director of 71 Television Mozammel Babu, and renowned writer-journalist Shahriar Kabir, along with several other media professionals. They were arrested under severe accusations such as murder and terrorism, despite the absence of credible evidence.

Reports indicate that these journalists have been kept in ordinary prison conditions, deprived of proper medical treatment and basic human dignity. For months, they have remained separated from their families, facing both physical and psychological suffering. International rights observers say this treatment represents a gross violation of freedom of expression and fundamental human rights.

Global journalist and human rights organisations have strongly condemned the Yunus administration’s actions, calling them a form of state-sponsored repression. According to these groups, silencing veteran journalists is not justice but a deliberate strategy to crush dissent and erase critical voices from public life.

With a new government now in office under the leadership of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, international pressure has intensified. Journalist unions and press freedom bodies across the world have formally urged BNP Acting Chairman Tareq Rahman to ensure the immediate and unconditional release of Shyamal Dutta and all other detained journalists. They have also demanded strict legal action against those responsible for unlawful arrests, prolonged detention, and inhumane treatment.

Observers stress that these veteran journalists have historically played a crucial role in guiding the nation through political crises and democratic movements. Through investigative reporting, powerful editorials, and principled journalism, they have repeatedly held governments accountable and helped shape national policy debates. To imprison such figures is, critics argue, to imprison the conscience of the nation itself.

Analysts warn that the Yunus era will be remembered as a period of systematic suppression of the press, marked by fear, isolation, and institutional abuse. The challenge before the new administration is clear: either restore justice by freeing the journalists and prosecuting those responsible, or risk inheriting the moral burden of one of Bangladesh’s most shameful chapters in its democratic history.

International Desk : Voice of Calcutta