As the world marked World Press Freedom Day 2025, a chilling report by the Rights and Risk Analysis Group (RRAG) titled “Bangladesh: The Erosion of Press Freedom Under Dr. Muhammad Yunus” has revealed a dramatic deterioration in press freedom during the first eight months of the Yunus-led interim government.
According to the report, between August 2024 and March 2025, a total of 640 journalists in Bangladesh were systematically targeted, marking what analysts are calling the worst assault on press freedom in the country’s recent history. The report describes a campaign of coordinated legal, administrative, and violent suppression aimed at silencing critical voices in the media.
Key findings of the report include:
• 182 journalists faced criminal charges, most of which the report claims are fabricated.
• 206 journalists were subjected to physical violence.
• 167 journalists had their press accreditation arbitrarily revoked.
• 85 senior journalists are currently under investigation by the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) for alleged money laundering, in what the RRAG describes as an intimidation strategy to paralyze major newsrooms.
The BFIU investigations, launched between October 2024 and January 2025, target senior journalists from 39 prominent media houses, including Bangladesh Pratidin, Daily Ittefaq, Samakal, Jugantor, Daily Sun, Channel i, Ekattor TV, ATN News, DBC News, Ekushey TV, MyTV, Dhaka Times, The Daily Kaler Kantho, Amader Shomoy, Independent24.tv, and The Bangladesh Post, among others.
The report paints a grim picture of systematic repression, stating:
“Under Dr. Yunus’ leadership, the entire media in Bangladesh has been silenced through institutional harassment and fear.”
This revelation comes as a shock to many in the international community who viewed Dr. Yunus, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, as a symbol of social justice and democratic values. His role as the head of the interim government was initially seen as a stabilizing force amid political unrest. However, human rights watchdogs and media freedom groups now say the interim regime has weaponized state machinery to mute dissent and critical journalism.
The RRAG concludes that the press in Bangladesh is now facing “an existential crisis,” with democracy itself under threat.
International organizations, including the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF), are being urged to launch independent inquiries and apply diplomatic pressure to protect press freedom in Bangladesh.
If left unchecked, observers warn, this crackdown could have long-term consequences not only for journalists and media outlets but also for Bangladesh’s democratic institutions and civil society at large
