Govt, NOAB trade blame over state of free press
Staff Reporter :
The interim government has strongly rejected claims by the Newspaper Owners’ Association of Bangladesh (NOAB) that press freedom and access to information have deteriorated over the past year.
In a statement issued on Friday, the office of Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus said the administration had not curtailed media freedoms and dismissed NOAB’s allegations as “misplaced” and “factually flawed.”
The rebuttal followed a statement from NOAB president A.K. Azad on Thursday, which cited recent incidents – including controversy surrounding the Dhaka-based daily Janakantha – as evidence that the post-August 2024 democratic transition had failed to protect the rights of journalists.
NOAB also referred to a Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) report documenting hundreds of cases of harassment and legal action against reporters over the past year.
According to NOAB, 496 journalists were harassed between August 2024 and July 2025, with 266 facing legal cases linked to last year’s student-led uprising.
The group reported three journalists killed in the line of duty and at least 24 dismissed from their jobs. It also alleged that eight newspaper editors and 11 television news chiefs were removed in politically motivated shake-ups.
NOAB pointed to Janakantha as a case in which organised groups allegedly sought to oust management and interfere in editorial operations. Such disputes, it argued, should be resolved by labour courts or the Bangladesh Press Council, rather than by “mobs” creating a climate of fear.
TIB’s findings, also cited by NOAB, highlighted incidents of censorship, threats and self-censorship reportedly fuelled by fear of reprisals from political or official sources.
The government insisted it had not interfered in the editorial, operational or business affairs of any outlet, and claimed that it had shown “exceptional restraint” in the face of what it described as false or politically motivated reporting.
It said several outlets closed by previous administrations had been allowed to resume publication or broadcasting, calling this evidence of its “hands-off approach.”
On concerns about reduced access to officials, the government said journalists now had direct access to advisers and senior aides, regardless of editorial stance.
It defended changes to Secretariat accreditation rules, arguing that the previous system had been abused by non-journalists, including politicians and lobbyists.
The administration rejected suggestions it had influenced dismissals in the media sector, attributing them to internal editorial or corporate restructuring.
It also called on media owners to improve pay, benefits and working conditions, and referred to ongoing proposals for a Journalist Protection Act aimed at reducing self-censorship and protecting reporters from intimidation.
While saying it welcomed constructive criticism, the government urged NOAB to also examine the practices of its members.
“Freedom of expression is a principle we uphold,” the statement said. “But unsubstantiated allegations do not help address the real challenges facing Bangladesh’s media.”