Bangladesh must address the challenges facing the media

It is a shame that Bangladesh continues to slip in the World Press Freedom Index for the fifth successive year.

In the latest index published by Paris-based Reporters Sans Frontiers (Reporters Without Borders) on Wednesday, Bangladesh slipped one notch to 163 out of 180 countries.

According to the Press Freedom Index 2024 published on Friday by Reporters Without Borders, Bangladesh was ranked 146th in 2017 and 2018, but since then maintained a consistent fall slipping 17 notches over the last five years.

It was ranked 150th in 2019, 151st in 2020, 152nd in 2021 and made a big fall of 10 places to 162nd last year. And among the South Asian countries, Bangladesh stands at the bottom only after Afghanistan.

The report highlights that in the Asia-Pacific region, which is the world’s second most challenging region for journalism, Myanmar, China, North Korea, Vietnam, and Afghanistan are among the top 10 most dangerous countries for media personnel.

However, Norway retains its top spot in the global index followed by Denmark, Sweden, Netherlands, Finland, Estonia, Portugal, Ireland, Switzerland, and Germany, rounding up the top 10.

Ensuring press freedom is of course a cornerstone of any functioning democracy and plays a crucial role in holding the government accountable, exposing corruption and ensuring transparency.

An empowered press serves as a watchdog, keeping a check on the powers that be a voice to the voiceless.

It is indeed disappointing for Bangladesh, where the media has a long history of playing a pivotal role in shaping public opinion and fostering values. We have taken steps backwards instead of the opposite.

The report underscores that press freedom worldwide faces threats from political authorities, as indicated by the significant decline in the political indicator.

So, ensuring safety and security of journalists should be the bare minimum expected of any legitimate democracy.

For Bangladesh, it must address the challenges facing the media and uphold the principle of press freedom.