Reporting in Bangladesh extremely dangerous and difficult: Free Press Unlimited
Many opposition leaders have been detained. Journalists find themselves being a target of both sides, with several of them experiencing attacks while trying to report on the situation.
The Awami League, lead by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has been ruling Bangladesh consecutively since 2009 and is almost certain to start their fourth straight term after the coming elections.
Opposition parties, with the biggest one being the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), and its allies say they have no faith that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will hold a free and fair election and are boycotting the poll, resulting in all candidates on the ballot being from the Awami League, its allies or independents.
The Netherlands’ Amsterdam-based Free Press Unlimited observes that journalists in Bangladesh try their best to report on the events and provide people with reliable information, but the context is dangerous and difficult. One of our contacts on the ground shares: “The sad reality is that journalists being attacked and injured in demonstrations is a common scenario now. But I cannot take a break, I feel I have a responsibility as a journalist, as a Bangladeshi.”
Physical safety risks
Journalists risk violent attacks while doing their work. In October, it was reported that at least 27 journalists covering rallies in the capital of Dhaka were attacked by supporters of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the Awami League, as well as police. This got worse leading up to the elections.
