Acts of intimidation against Prothom Alo, The Daily Star unacceptable: RSF

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has strongly condemned violent assaults on several offices belonging to the independent dailies The Daily Star and Prothom Alo.

The Paris-based international organisation, which works to ensure the rights of journalists, also called on the authorities to put a definitive end to these intimidation attempts in a country that must urgently rebuild a safe, pluralistic media landscape.

RSF made the call in a release published on its website on Wednesday.

RSF has repeatedly called on Bangladesh’s interim government to carry out structural reforms to protect the country’s journalists.

“Now, protestors have attacked the headquarters of The Daily Star and Prothom Alo in the capital, Dhaka, and several of their regional offices, notably in the city of Rajshahi, where 200 demonstrators tried to enter the Prothom Alo office and vandalised its signboard.

“The aim of these violent demonstrations, orchestrated by radicalised anti-India religious groups, was to denounce these newspapers as so-called ‘agents of India’.”

“RSF condemns the unacceptable attacks and attempts of intimidation against The Daily Star and Prothom Alo. The two newspapers tried to maintain their independence at all costs under Sheikh Hasina’s authoritarian regime, despite the legal harassment they suffered in retaliation. It is now up to the interim government to help them to work freely, without restrictions or harassment,” said Celia Mercier, Head of RSF’s South Asia Desk.

She further said, “An impartial, thorough investigation into the instigators and perpetrators of the recent violent attacks – and the necessary subsequent legal proceedings – are crucial to curbing the development of an unsafe work environment for journalists.”