Bangladesh: Revoking Press Accreditations of Bangladeshi Journalists is an Attack on Press Freedom
November 7, 2024 - Dhaka, Bangladesh
Women Press Freedom strongly condemns the Bangladeshi interim administration’s decision to revoke press accreditation cards for several journalists, including prominent women journalists Masuda Bhatti (Daily Amader Arthoneeti), Naznin Nahar Munni (DBC News), Farzana Rupa, and Farida Yasmin.
This action by the Press Information Department of the Information Ministry represents a serious attack on press freedom and a violation of journalists' rights. Accreditation of at least 20 journalists was revoked on October 20, while 30 more lost theirs on November 3. This crackdown undermines the democratic values that the interim administration itself pledged to uphold.
Curtailing press and media freedoms is fundamentally at odds with the principles of democracy. Our reporting has found that at least four of these journalists are currently detained in "apparent retaliation" following their expressed support for the former premier, Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League.
We demand a transparent explanation from the Bangladeshi interim government for this repressive measure, which silences critical voices and infringes on basic rights. We also urge the administration to immediately restore the journalists' accreditations and honor its commitment to fostering an accountable and just society.
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