Bangladesh: Two journalists attacked while on duty

Attacks have rocked Bangladesh’s media community. Journalist Aklakur Rahman Akash suffered serious eye injuries in an attack near a factory in Savar on May 26, while journalist Enamul Haque was stabbed to death while doing research at a rice mill in Islampur on May 27. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns the attacks on journalists and calls on the Bangladeshi authorities to investigate the incidents promptly and transparently and to uphold press freedom.

On May 26, Daily Star Savar correspondent Aklakur Rahman Akash was attacked while covering a dispute between the owners of a ceramic factory in Savar, on the outskirts of the capital Dhaka. According to media reports, Akash sustained injuries to his face, head and other parts of his body, and severe injuries to his left eye. According to Akash, he was attacked by supporters of the rival owner while he was taking photos of vandalism at the factory during a raid on the factory premises. The attackers took his phone from him during the attack.

Akash was rescued when journalists from other media reached the spot. Police arrested two people linked to the attack on May 27 and have been charged to court. They also found Akash’s phone on the factory premises. Media collectives, including the Bangladeshi Journalists in International Media (BJIM), have strongly condemned the attack on Akash and demanded a full and impartial investigation.

In another incident, journalist Enamul Haque, a local correspondent of Dainik Kalbela in Islampur, was stabbed while investigating the storage practices of the Asad Dali rice mill, which is designed to feed the needy under the Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) programme.

Haque was accompanied on the assignment by three local journalists and shortly after their arrival, a confrontation with the mill owner took place. Haque was stabbed by the mill owner and taken to Jamalpur General Hospital for medical treatment. Police arrested him. No case has been filed in connection with the attack and the mill owner is believed to be in hiding.

The 22nd Annual South Asia Press Freedom Report 2023-2024 states: “Artificial Independence: The Battle to Save the Media and Democracy”The IFJ recorded 19 non-fatal attacks on journalists and media workers in Bangladesh, with three more colleagues killed between May 1, 2023 and April 30, 2024.

The IFJ stated:“Journalists and media workers in Bangladesh must have the freedom to publish their reports without reprisal. These recent attacks are an indication of the profound threat facing the country’s media community. The authorities must take these attacks seriously and ensure that perpetrators are held legally accountable.”