DHAKA, Aug 28, 2025 — A total of 109 eminent citizens from Bangladesh and abroad — including freedom fighters, journalists, writers, academics, artists, lawyers, and human rights activists — have issued a joint statement demanding a judicial investigation into the death of journalist and columnist Bibhuranjan Sarkar, whose body was recovered from a river on August 22, 2025.
The statement also urged legal action over allegations mentioned in Sarkar’s published open letter, in which he accused the media wing of Interim Government Chief Adviser and Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus of exerting “pressure” and creating an “atmosphere of fear.”
The signatories expressed grave concern over what they described as a “reign of repression” on journalists in Bangladesh since August 5, 2024. They noted that both mainstream and social media are under unprecedented restrictions, leading to widespread fear and instability among media workers.
According to the statement, in the past 13 months:
• More than 300 journalists have been made accused in murder or harassment-related cases.
• At least 40 journalists have been arrested.
• Travel bans have been imposed on over 300 journalists.
• Bank accounts of more than 100 journalists have been frozen.
• Over 1,000 journalists have lost their jobs, while 168 had their press accreditation cards revoked.
• The memberships of more than 100 journalists were suspended or canceled from various press clubs, including the National Press Club.
The statement also highlighted that several journalists have fled the country seeking asylum abroad due to fear for their lives. “Even old cases are being revived against journalists to keep them silenced,” the signatories alleged.
Calling the death of Bibhuranjan Sarkar a tragic outcome of this environment, the statement demanded:
1. A full judicial probe into his death and into allegations against the media wing of the interim government.
2. Immediate release of all jailed journalists.
3. Withdrawal of all harassment-driven cases.
4. An end to all forms of repression on the press.
Prominent signatories include freedom fighters Dr. Nurun Nabi (US), Razzakul Haider Chowdhury, Professor Omar Selim Sher (Canada), writer Taslima Nasrin, poet and academic Dr. Sejan Mahmud (US), senior journalists Fazlul Bari (Australia), Dastagir Jahangir (US), editors, human rights defenders, artists, and academics from 20 countries.
The statement concludes by warning that some political leaders and influential figures with government patronage have also become a threat to free expression in Bangladesh.
