A new report from the Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) has claimed that attacks on journalists in Bangladesh have surged drastically under the interim government of Chief Advisor Dr. Mohammed Yunus.
The report, titled “Bangladesh: Media Freedom Murdered By Dr Mohammad Yunus,” has alleged a 230% increase in attacks on journalists in the year since Yunus took power, compared to the last year of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s administration.
The RRAG report, released on the one-year anniversary of Hasina’s fall on August 3, detailed a significant rise in various forms of harassment and legal action against media professionals.
Giving further details of the attacks on the journalists under Dr Yunus, RRAG Director Suhas Chakma stated, “The number criminal cases filed against journalists under Dr Yunus (195 cases) during 2024-2025 increased by 558% in comparison to the number of cases (35 cases) filed against journalists under Hasina during 2023-2024.”
“While Hasina’s government reportedly did not deny accreditation, the Yunus administration is accused of using it as a tool to punish journalists, denying accreditation to 167 individuals believed to be associated with the previous government,” He said.
Chakma stated, “During 2023-2024, Hasina’s regime was not known to have used the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), anti-money laundering agency of the country, against the journalists but Dr Yunus let loose the BFIU which issued notices to 107 journalists.”
The report highlighted that 431 journalists faced acts of violence and criminal intimidation under Dr. Yunus, compared to 348 under Hasina, many of whom were targeted during the July 2024 uprising.
According to RRAG, the situation of the media continues to deteriorate under Dr Yunus.
The report also cited specific incidents, including the murder of journalist Khandaker Shah Alam in June 2025, and the issuing of arrest warrants for three journalists—Naem Nizam, Moynal Hossain Chowdhury, and Syed Borhan Kabir—in July 2025 under the Digital Security Act (DSA), despite a previous announcement that all DSA cases had been withdrawn.
On 21 April 2025, Kongkon Karmaker was dismissed by The Daily Star as Dinajpur correspondent only because his report about the death of religious minority Bhabesh Chandra Roy was picked up by multiple Indian media outlets and India’s Ministry of External Affairs, it stated.
“In order to silence the media, Chief Advisor of Bangladesh Dr Mohammed Yunus established ‘CA Press Wing Facts’ as the de facto censorship authority by other means, the manufacturer of the government version of the truth, and intimidate the media houses and NGOs including the Rights & Risks Analysis Group through disinformation,” Chakma said.
The report also raised concerns about financial support from the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
The UK’s “Bangladesh-Collaborative, Accountable and Peaceful Politics (B-CAPP) Programme” provided £474,468 to strengthen the Chief Advisor’s office, specifically for reform management and strategic communications. According to the RRAG, this funding has been used to support the “CA Press Wing Facts.”
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The RRAG plans to appeal to the international community, including the Human Rights Joint Committee of the United Kingdom, to review and potentially withdraw financial support for the interim government of Bangladesh due to the “absolute silencing of the media.”
