Editors’ Council protests sweeping, unwarranted allegations against media

The Editors’ Council has protested against sweeping and unwarranted allegations made about the media at the National Youth Conference organised by ‘Jatiya Jubo Shakti’, the youth wing of the National Citizen Party.

In a statement issued today, Wednesday, the Editors’ Council expressed its protest and urged all parties to make fact-based and responsible remarks.

The statement said the Editors’ Council is deeply concerned that, at the National Youth Conference 2025—organised by the NCP’s youth wing, on the occasion of International Youth Day—a number of sweeping and unwarranted allegations were made about the media. It was alleged at the conference that “the media is attempting to character-assassinate those involved in the mass uprising” and is acting as “a mouthpiece for intelligence agencies” similar to during Sheikh Hasina’s authoritarian rule.

Rejecting such sweeping remarks outright, the Editors’ Council said in the statement, “On the contrary, the media played a very important role in last year’s student–people mass uprising. During the Awami League’s 15 years in power, editors and journalists were subjected to various forms of persecution, harassment, and repression.”

Highlighting the role of the media, the statement said that during the uprising, courageous reporting by the media brought to light before the public numerous critical issues, including killings by state forces, human rights violations, and internet blackouts. In particular, most print media outlets fearlessly presented the facts, contributing significantly to building public opinion in favor of the uprising, often working under considerable fear and intimidation.

The statement further noted that even in the post-uprising period, under the interim government led by Professor Muhammad Yunus, most print media outlets have continued to play a constructive role in building a democratic state, upholding the aspirations of the July mass uprising, and presenting to the public the various limitations of the government.