On October 28, approximately 30 journalists were assaulted while covering clashes between local police, supporters of the opposition Bangladeshi Nationalist Party (BNP), and supporters of the ruling Awami League Party-led coalition. Multiple journalists were beaten by protestors or subject to police violence against the crowd. During the demonstrations, cameras and mobile phones of several journalists were stolen, broken, and damaged.
Among those assaulted during the political rally was Mohammad Ali Mazed, a video journalist with Agence-France-Press (AFP) and a member of the Bangladeshi Journalists in International Media (BJIM) Executive Committee. Mazed was ambushed and beaten on the head and back by BNP protestors, with his safety gear saving him from severe injuries. His journalistic equipment was broken during the assault.
Sazzad Hossain, a freelance photographer for The Guardian, Deutsche Welle (DW), and SOPA Images, was targeted with brick chips and subsequently trampled by another group of BNP protestors. Awami League demonstrators beat The Daily Kalbela reporter Abu Saleh Musa and Tahir Zaman Priya, a reporter for the news website The Report, was also injured by a rubber bullet.
Numerous other journalists were injured including New Age journalist Ahamed Fayez, Bangla Tribune’s Salman Tarek Shakil, Jobaer Ahmed, Daily Kalbela’s Rafsan Jani, Abu Saleh Musa, Rabiul Islam Rubel, Touhidul Islam Tarek, Dhaka Times’ Salekin Tarin, Kazi Ihsan Didar, Inqilab’s F A Masum, Ittefaq’s Tanvir Ahammed, Sheikh Naser, Ekushey TV’s Touhidur Rahman, Arifur Rahman, Desh Rupantor’s Arifur Rahman Rabbi, Share Biz’s Hamidur Rahman, and Freelance journalist Maruf.
Over 125,000 supporters from the ANP and BNP participated in the rally, voicing demands for the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to allow for a free and fair election under an impartial government. At least three people, including a policeman and a BNP activist, were killed in the resulting clash, with dozens more injured.
As Bangladesh’s parliamentary elections approach in January, concerns are growing that independent journalists are facing an increasingly hostile environment and rampant censorship. In recent weeks, journalists in Bangladesh have faced various forms of pressure, including legal action, police aggression, online harassment, assaults during reporting, and threats to their families. On August 30, the IFJ and 18 other press freedom and human rights organisations urged the government of Bangladesh to intervene in an ongoing Digital Security Act (DSA) case against journalist Adhora Yeasmean, who has suffered continual harassment and intimidation after reporting on alleged criminal activities of a religious organisation in the country.
The IFJ said,“The violent mass assault of journalists and media workers by demonstrators and police in Bangladesh is deplorable and a severe attack on press freedom. Freedom of expression is of utmost importance in times of unrest, and journalists must be able to do their jobs with their safety guaranteed. The IFJ calls for an end to impunity for these violations against journalists, condemns attempts to censor the media through violence, and urges Bangladesh’s government to ensure the security and safety of journalists during this critical election period."