Charlotte Jacquemart Discusses Bangladesh’s Declining Press Freedom and Its Impact on International Relations
In an interview with Dastagir Jahangir, Charlotte Jacquemart shared concerns about Bangladesh’s declining press freedom and its negative impact on the country’s international image and relationships with democratic nations. Jacquemart expressed disappointment, noting that hopes for a progressive Bangladesh, particularly after the Yunus government and the student movement, had faded in light of the current state of press freedom.
Interview with Dastagir Jahangir:
Question: How does Bangladesh’s declining press freedom ranking affect its international image and its relationship with democratic alliances?
Charlotte Jacquemart: “You know, I don’t think it helps Bangladesh in this situation they’re in now. I mean, everybody was hoping that the Yunus government and the student movement would really turn a page in the history of Bangladesh in terms of being a country open to everybody, you know, welcoming journalism. And this doesn’t seem to be the case. And that makes it more difficult for democracies out there, like Switzerland, like other European countries, like the U.S., to say, okay, let’s go down this way. I mean, it’s easier for us to welcome Bangladesh in the international community if we see that press freedom is really being defended. And right now, we don’t see this. And this makes it definitely more difficult for democratic countries to welcome Bangladesh into our community. I don’t think it’s going to help Bangladesh right now in this moment.”