There's a post making rounds on social media over the past few days. It is about three journalists of three private TV channels losing their jobs. Along with this is a screenshot of Chief Advisor Professor Muhammad Yunus saying "Freely criticise the government."
One of these three journalists had questioned an advisor about the Bengali New Year celebrations and also about a list of martyrs of the July uprising. There are questions concerning the standard and the manner of the questions. That is quite natural. The journalists should have been more sensitive when questioning about the martyrs. But perhaps this is the first time a journalist actually loses his job for asking unbecoming questions. In the eighties one of our senior journalists asked a much sterner question to the president. He said, the poems of Shamsur Rahman and Al Mahmud aren't published on the first page of the newspapers, but your poetry is. Are you a greater poet than them? He didn't lose his job for that question. He was transferred out of Dhaka.
There is no dearth of media that sang high praise for the Awami league government before 5 August. After the government was toppled, they have performed a complete volte-face
The information advisor said that the government had nothing to do with those three journalists losing their jobs. No one said that the government was involved. What had happened was that after the incident, three organisations began a march towards those three channels. It was after that that the authorities of the three establishments decided to dismiss the three journalists.
After the interim government took over on 8 August last year, several media establishments faced mob violence. There were changes in the posts of many editors and chief executives in the media. Certain editors and journalists were laid off. Those who replaced them may not have given assurance of a free press, but they assured that the interests of the management would be upheld. It was not just the present government that was taken into consideration in this process of change, but future power equations were also taken into account.
When any journalist is arrested, faces charges or is harassed, many jump up with examples of how many journalists were arrested during the rule of the past government, how many cases were lodged against them, how many newspapers and TV channels were shut down. Awami League oppressed, repressed and gagged the media and they are now facing the consequences. The interim government cannot be compared to the autocratic government. They are committed to utmost freedom of the press in the country.
Today, 3 May, is World Press Freedom Day. On the occasion, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has brought out a report on the state of free press in various countries. This time Bangladesh ranks 149 among 180 countries. In 2024 Bangladesh ranked at 165. So it has up 16 steps. India ranks at 151 this time and Pakistan at 158. Bhutan stands at 152. There three countries lag behind Bangladesh in the index, but Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Maldives are ahead, at 90, 139 and 104 respectively.
When Awami League was in power, anyone opposing the government was tagged as 'BNP-Jamaat'. Now the tag is 'collaborators of the autocrats'. During the Awami League regime, if any media outlet criticised the government, cases under the Digital Security Act would be filed against the editor and journalist. On 26 March 2023 Prothom Alo correspondent Samsuzzaman was arrested and imprisoned for a few days due to a certain photo card published online. The Prothom Alo editor was charged under the Digital Security Act in the same incident. The photo card was unrelated to the government's image. Even so, a private TV channel instigated the harassment of the Prothom Alo editor and correspondent. The channel was out to curry favour with the government.
Certain vested interest quarters continue to campaign against Prothom Alo and Daily Star even now with the interim government at the helm. Just as there are media platforms that uphold everything of the previous government, there are also the active players on social media within and outside the country.
On 12 November last year, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called upon the chief advisor to take measures to protect press freedom and freedom of expression in Bangladesh. They also called for a suspension of the laws that curbed the constitutional provision for freedom of press. These laws include the penal code pertaining to defamation-related criminal offences and the Official Secrets Act inherited from colonial times.
The interim government abolished the Cyber Security Act, taking initiative to replace it with the Cyber Protection Ordinance, which does not differ too much in essence. The proposed law too has provision to arrest anyone charged under this act. If the government deems necessary, any establishment can be searched and the possessions seized.
Recently an actress was arrested under the controversial Special Powers Act of 1974. A person is arrested under the Special Powers Act when there are no specific charges against him or her. She was released on bail, but none of the journalists arrested under the criminal code and under the International Criminal Tribunal have been granted bail. According to RSF, there are 11 journalists in jail at present. And there are cases pertaining to murder, attempted murder and assault, against 160 persons.
Also, the press accreditation cards of 167 persons have been revoked. Following criticism from the Editors Council and other quarters, the government formed a review committee, but it has not been revealed how many have got their accreditation back and what are the specific charges that have been levelled against the accused.
One of the major reasons that has prevented Bangladesh's media from emerging as an actual full-blown media is that certain business groups have used the media in their own interests and have remained in cahoots with the powers of state. There is no dearth of media that sang high praise for the Awami league government before 5 August. After the government was toppled, they have performed a complete volte-face. The media reform commission formed by the interim government has put forward a number of good proposals. Some of these include that one owner cannot own several media establishments and also there wage board for journalists.
The media reform commission proposed restructuring the state-owned media BTV, Bangladesh Betar and Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha. It also called for a halt to the unhealthy practice of inflating circulation figures in order to avail government advertisements. Government advertisements are meant to reach the public. But it is a waste of taxpayers' money if these advertisements are merely pasted up on the walls or appear in a paltry number of printed copies just for display.
No one can come from outside to ensure freedom of press within Bangladesh. It is for the editors and the journalists to ensure. Recently the editor of Daily Star, Mahfuz Anam clearly said in an article that editors must not be the public relations officers of the owners. Rather than being sentries of the owners, the stakeholders in media must practice introspection -- what have they done in the past and what are they doing now?
* Sohrab Hassan is joint editor of Prothom Alo and a poet
* This column appeared in the print and online edition of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten for the English edition by Ayesha Kabir