Critical Journalism in Bangladesh: A Dissection of 53 Years

Dr. Md. Anwar Hossain :

The heartbeat of an independent and sovereign state is the right of its citizens to speak fearlessly and the freedom of the media.

Journalism is not just a means of disseminating information, but it is also a mirror of power, where the mistakes and shortcomings of the ruler and the inconsistencies of society are reflected.

Critical journalism or constructive criticism is the bulwark of democracy that blocks the path of dictatorship.

But when we look at the history of the last 53 years of Bangladesh, a cruel truth is revealed—the word ‘criticism’ has repeatedly been considered ‘treason’ or ‘personal enmity’ on the soil of this country.

The freedom that was supposed to be enjoyed in this land, achieved through the great liberation war, has repeatedly been crushed under the intolerance of the ruling class and the bloodthirsty eyes of the influential circles.

The recent violence at the country’s newspaper offices is not just a brickbat attack; it is a poisonous knife that has been driven into the heart of freedom of speech and democracy in Bangladesh.

In this long journey, journalism has been walking on a burning volcano, where every truthful statement is followed by the fear of death, imprisonment or disappearance.

After the country gained independence in 1971, the Bangladeshi newspapers started their journey with a dream.

But unfortunately, in 1975, most of the newspapers were closed down and four newspapers were placed under government control through the Fourth Amendment.

This was the first major blow to the suppression of journalism in independent Bangladesh.

In the last 53 years, every ruling party in Bangladesh agreed on one thing – that is, to control critical journalism.

Especially in the last decade and a half, black laws like the Digital Security Act (DSA) and later the Cyber Security Act have tied the hands and feet of journalists.

Various reports by national and international human rights organizations have shown that hundreds of journalists and ordinary people have been imprisoned simply for writing Facebook posts or columns.

The ruling political parties have always wanted journalists to be their ‘propagandists’.

Whenever a journalist raises questions about government corruption, irregularities in mega projects or the election system, he is immediately harassed by labeling him ‘anti-state’.

In Bangladesh, not only the government, but also various influential groups have become a major obstacle to the freedom of journalism.

Publishing news of the corruption of an influential person means losing his job or facing a legal notice. Isn’t this trend of journalism putting the final nail on the coffin of ‘critical journalism’.

The biggest tragedy of journalism in Bangladesh in the last 53 years is ‘self-censorship’.

When a journalist sees that the murder of his colleague Sagar-Runi is not brought to justice for a century, when he sees people like Ilyas Ali disappear, or when a writer like Mushtaq Ahmed dies in prison, he is forced to stop writing. This culture of fear has penetrated every crevice of society.

Many journalists now consider it better to be safe than to write the truth. As a result, despite having many brave journalists, we have not been able to build a sustainable independent news system.

Bangladesh has been consistently ranked lower in the annual index of the international organization Reporters Without Borders (RSB).

The picture of press freedom in Bangladesh in the 2024 and 2025 indexes is also very worrying. According to the data, Bangladesh’s Press Freedom Index is in a position close to Afghanistan or in some cases worse than it in South Asia.

Defamation cases and digital crime cases against hundreds of journalists prove that the mentality of tolerating criticism has not become part of the political culture here.

Where darkness thickens, the importance of the lamp increases. In the present day, journalism is not just a profession, but also a name of extreme self-sacrifice.

Despite being crushed by hundreds of obstacles, imprisonment, oppression, humiliation and inhuman torture, a group of fearless pen warriors are still standing on the streets with indestructible courage.

No matter how many attempts have been made to silence their voices, their pens have become as sharp as they have pierced the chest of injustice.

Neither the solitude of the dark cell nor the jingling of chains could divert them from their ideals; rather, each blow has strengthened their resolve.

This fight is not just about survival, this fight is about keeping the truth alive. When lies are celebrated and praise is celebrated all around, these journalists risk their lives to become the last refuge of the common man.

The cries of the exploited and the tragic history of deprivation are mixed in their every letter.

The four walls of a prison may imprison their bodies, but no one can imprison their independent consciousness and unwavering devotion to the truth.

Standing in today’s critical time, we can say with a heart of hope – as long as a journalist’s pen is active, society will not lose its way.

We must remember that a free society survives only when there is the right to disagree. This absence of 53 years is not a matter of pride, but rather a document of our national failure.

If true democracy is to be established in the future of Bangladesh, all the old rules must be lifted from journalism and the right to criticism must be given constitutional protection as well as mental recognition.

Let the pen not stop for fear of the sword, and let the truth not be extinguished by the power of power—this should be the main pledge of Bangladesh.

Now is the time for structural changes to ensure independent, fearless critical journalism. Otherwise, history will not forgive us.

At the end of the day, the responsibility of keeping the conscience of a nation awake lies on the shoulders of the newspaper. It must be remembered that journalism is a responsibility.

When critical or analytical journalism falls on its face, darkness engulfs society. However, just as new life springs from ruins, it is time for real journalists to straighten their spines.

Future generations will not forgive us if we fail to break the chains and sing the triumph of truth.

Free journalism is not just a demand of journalists, it is the right of ordinary people to survive. Today, a new war is needed to restore that right—a war in which the edge of the pen will be much sharper than that of weapons. Let this beloved profession once again shine in the light of truth.

(The author is an Essayist, Writer and President of the International Anti-Drug Organization – Freedom International Anti-Alcohol. E-Mail Address: [email protected])