Bangladesh has fallen two notches in the World Press Freedom Index (WPFI) compiled by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) – a global advocate for press freedom – in observance of World Press Freedom Day on Friday.
The country is now ranked 165th, a decline from its previous position of 163rd. Bangladesh is positioned 165th out of 180 countries in the index, with a score of 27.64. In the 2023 index, Bangladesh held the 163rd spot with a score of 35.31.
RSF compiles this index to reflect the degree of media independence in various countries worldwide. The Press Freedom Index evaluates five aspects – political, economic, legal protection, social, and security factors.
From last year, Bangladesh's standing in the social and security categories remains unchanged, but it has experienced a downturn in the other three sectors.
RSF notes that over a fifth of Bangladesh's population, estimated at 170 million, lives below the poverty line with limited access to mainstream media. The significance of internet-based media for disseminating news and information is on the rise.
The most significant drop in the press freedom index for Bangladesh was in 2022. Over the span of three years, from 2021 to 2024, Bangladesh has descended 13 places in the index, from 152nd to 165th.
RSF reports that ruling party activists continue to perpetrate violent attacks against journalists who are disfavored. The trend of judicial harassment to silence journalists or close media outlets persists.
In such an adversarial climate, editors are cautious to avoid subjects that contradict official narratives.
RSF has also expressed criticism towards the Cyber Security Act (CSA), which replaced the Digital Security Act (DSA). It is observed that most privately owned media in Bangladesh are controlled by prominent businessmen who have risen during the country's economic growth.
These owners often view their media holdings as tools for influence and profit-making, leading to a certain bias in reporting.
Like the previous time, Norway is at the top of the press freedom index this year. Score 91.89. Norway is followed by Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands and Finland.
According to the index, the African country Eritrea (180th) ranks worst in terms of press freedom in the world. The country's score is 16.68. The second worst in the index is Syria (179th), third Afghanistan (178th), fourth North Korea (177th), fifth Iran (176th).
India has progressed by two steps in this year's index. The country is in 159th position. Pakistan is at 152nd position, down two places from last year.
Apart from this, Sri Lanka is at 150th position, Maldives at 106th position, Bhutan at 147th position and Nepal at 74th position. The United States ranks 55th, Russia ranks 162nd, and China ranks 172nd.
