The Foreign Correspondents' Club of South Asia (FCC), Press Club of India (PCI), Indian Women's Press Corps (IWPC), and the Press Association (PA) have jointly expressed grave concern over the ongoing selective harassment of journalists in Bangladesh.
In a troubling escalation, 52 prominent media professionals have yet been implicated in murder cases, with some detained and many facing unfounded charges at the International Crimes Tribunal.
The press bodies condemned these actions as violations of press freedom, warning that the crackdown on dissent not only harms Bangladesh’s international reputation but also undermines freedom of expression and the image of the administration.
The organisations urge the incumbent administration to remain vigilant against those obstructing press freedom and to take decisive action against individuals who harass journalists.
In their statement, they called upon Nobel Peace laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus, also the chief adviser to the interim government, to personally intervene and ensure the protection of journalists and the safeguarding of their rights to operate without fear.
Furthermore, they request the immediate release of the journalists who have been detained under frivolous accusations, emphasising the need for urgent action to rectify these injustices.
