The Editors’ Council has called on the new government to swiftly withdraw the false and harassment cases filed against journalists since 5 August 2024.
The call was made today, Wednesday, in a statement signed by Council President Nurul Kabir and General Secretary Dewan Hanif Mahmud.
The statement said that since 5 August 2024, numerous journalists across the country have been accused in false murder cases and many other harassment cases.
As a result of these cases, many journalists remain in prison, while others are being compelled to appear in court regularly. This has severely disrupted journalists’ normal professional activities and undermined the independent environment of the media.
In the statement, the Editors’ Council said that it had repeatedly urged the interim government to withdraw the false and motivated cases filed against journalists and to take effective measures to stop harassment.
Although assurances were given that the cases would be reviewed and that steps would be taken to withdraw those found to be false and harassing, the desired progress has not been made.
The statement also noted that if there are specific and evidence-based allegations against any journalist, those should be resolved in accordance with existing laws and through a transparent judicial process.
The Editors’ Council believes that, in the interest of justice, proper investigation of allegations and due legal process must be ensured; however, harassment and politically motivated cases are unacceptable under any circumstances.
The statement urged the BNP-led new government to give the matter the highest priority, saying, “Ensuring the independence of the media and the professional safety of journalists is a fundamental commitment of a democratic state—this is the expectation we reiterate.”