BD among deadliest nations for journalists

Staff Reporter :

Bangladesh has been identified as one of the most dangerous countries for journalists in 2024, according to the latest RSF Round-Up by Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF).
The report, published on Thursday, sheds light on the rising violence against media professionals worldwide, with Bangladesh emerging as a hotspot during political unrest.
The report underscores a grim reality: “Dying is not an acceptable risk of journalism.” However, for journalists in conflict zones and politically unstable regions, that risk has become disturbingly common.
In Bangladesh, five journalists lost their lives during violent protests in July over a contentious public job quota system. Mehedi Hasan, a journalist with Dhaka Times, was killed while covering clashes between protesters and security forces in the capital.
The protests triggered a political crisis that culminated in the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the report noted. RSF emphasized that the targeting of journalists was deliberate, as authorities aimed to suppress coverage of the mass uprising.
The report ranked Bangladesh’s security forces among the leading threats to press freedom in 2024, alongside Israel’s armed forces, which have been implicated in the deaths of over 155 journalists since late 2023.
The RSF report highlights a broader crisis, with journalist deaths reaching unprecedented levels globally. Conflict zones accounted for a significant share of these fatalities. The Gaza Strip alone saw nearly 30% of all journalist deaths in 2024, making Palestine the deadliest region for media professionals for the fifth consecutive year.
Asia also faced alarming trends, with Pakistan recording seven journalist deaths and Bangladesh five, both tied to protests and political unrest.
In terms of press freedom violations, China, Myanmar, and Israel were identified as the worst offenders. China leads with 124 journalists imprisoned, followed by Myanmar with 61, and Israel with 41.
The report also revealed that 55 journalists are currently being held hostage, with two new abductions reported in 2024. Additionally, 95 journalists are reported missing worldwide.
As the RSF report makes clear, press freedom is under severe threat from violent repression in conflict zones and systematic censorship in non-conflict regions. The organization has called on governments and international bodies to take urgent steps to protect journalists and uphold the principles of free expression.
“Journalism is essential for democracy, but without urgent global action, the risks to media professionals will only continue to escalate,” the report warned.