The Commonwealth Journalists Association (CJA) has called on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and his Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government to immediately release journalists who remain in detention on “spurious” charges.
The CJA, in a statement issued on Monday, welcomed the February 12 elections and the new prime minister’s pledge to restore the rule of law. However, it stressed that “dozens of journalists” continue to be jailed, some for more than a year, on allegations including murder, in violation of their fundamental rights.
The association recalled the 2025 interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, had withdrawn 16,429 cases it deemed groundless, part of an effort to rebuild confidence in the judicial system.
The group said that among those still detained was CJA Vice-President and Bhorer Kagoj Editor Shyamal Dutta, who was arrested in September 2024 in connection with what the association called a baseless murder case.
“Since then, Shyamal, like many others, has been held in extremely harsh conditions and denied proper legal representation and bail,” the statement said.
The organisation also said that since July 2024, hundreds of journalists and media workers have faced physical attacks, with several killed, while others were dismissed from their jobs or stripped of press accreditation due to perceived political affiliations.
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The association also cited the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa in October 2024, where member states endorsed principles on freedom of expression and the role of the media in governance. These principles call on governments to end impunity by conducting prompt and impartial investigations into attacks on journalists and bringing perpetrators to justice.
The CJA urged the new Bangladesh administration ensure legal protections for media workers, and take decisive action to prevent further attacks. The statement also referenced UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression Irene Khan, who said how Bangladesh’s courts handle these cases will serve as “a test of the pledges made by the new government.”
It also cited comments by UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression Irene Khan, who said how Bangladesh’s courts handle cases involving detained journalists, would be “a test of the pledges made by the new government”.
