Press Freedom Under Threat: Journalists Flee Bangladesh

Last updated: 5 October 2026

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Press freedom under threat in Bangladesh reached a crisis point under the Digital Security Act 2018, which turned journalism into a criminal activity. Reporters, bloggers, and editors who published material critical of the government faced prosecution, imprisonment, and in some cases torture in custody. Bangladesh ranked 163rd out of 180 countries in the 2024 Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index — one of the worst scores in South Asia — reflecting systematic state hostility to independent media.

The Digital Security Act as an Anti-Press Weapon

The Digital Security Act 2018 was drafted with provisions specifically designed to deter critical reporting. Section 25 criminalised publishing information deemed "aggressive or intimidating." Section 31 targeted content alleged to disturb "communal harmony." Section 32 imposed sentences of up to fourteen years for obtaining "secret" government information, effectively criminalising investigative journalism into state conduct. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) documented Bangladesh as one of the world's leading jailers of journalists during this period.[1]

In 2023, the government replaced the DSA with the Cyber Security Act (CSA). However, human rights organisations assessed the CSA as substantively equivalent — retaining provisions that criminalise online criticism of the government and state institutions. Reporters Without Borders noted that the CSA maintained the same chilling effect on press freedom as its predecessor. The UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression called on Bangladesh to repeal both laws as incompatible with Article 19 of the ICCPR.[2]

Documented Cases: Cartoonists, Editors, Online Journalists

Cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore was arrested in May 2020 under the DSA after publishing satirical cartoons critical of the government's COVID-19 response. He was held in pre-trial detention for nine months, during which Amnesty International documented that he was subjected to torture including electric shocks. Upon release, he required medical treatment for his injuries. His case attracted international attention but resulted in no accountability for those responsible.[3]

Independent online outlet Netra News — based abroad precisely because operating from inside Bangladesh is too dangerous — faced hacking attempts and government pressure on sources within Bangladesh following publication of investigative reports on corruption. Several journalists who contributed information to its reporting faced DSA prosecution. This pattern of persecuting sources and contributors demonstrates that the reach of anti-press measures extends beyond those whose names appear in bylines.

"The Digital Security Act has turned journalism into a criminal activity in Bangladesh. Reporters who expose corruption, document security force abuses, or cover the opposition risk years in prison. The most effective censorship tool is fear."
Reporters Without Borders, World Press Freedom Index 2024: Bangladesh

State Control of Broadcast Media

State-owned television and radio provided no independent coverage of opposition politics, while private broadcasters faced licensing threats when their reporting displeased the government. Several private television channels self-censored coverage of BNP events and political opposition activities following informal government warnings. Advertising revenue — primarily from state-owned enterprises — was withdrawn from outlets that published critical coverage, creating economic incentives aligned with political compliance.[4]

International Human Rights Standards on Press Freedom

Article 19 of the ICCPR guarantees freedom of expression, including freedom to seek, receive, and impart information. The UN Human Rights Committee's General Comment No 34 confirms that restrictions on freedom of expression must be provided by law, necessary, and proportionate. The DSA and CSA fail all three tests: their provisions are overbroad, applied disproportionately to critical voices, and serve political rather than legitimate law enforcement purposes.[5]

Asylum Implications for Journalists

Journalists and media workers from Bangladesh who can demonstrate persecution on account of their profession — and its association with the expression of political opinion — are entitled to claim refugee status under Article 1A(2) of the 1951 Refugee Convention. The systematic targeting of the press through discriminatory legislation, combined with physical violence and impunity for attackers, satisfies the threshold of serious harm required for a well-founded fear of persecution.[6]

Furthermore, journalists who have been specifically named in DSA or CSA prosecutions face an individualised risk that strengthens any asylum claim. Decision-makers should obtain and review the specific charges filed against the applicant, assess whether the prosecution was politically motivated, and consider the applicant's visibility profile — those with a public record of critical reporting on security forces or the government face the highest risk level.

Conclusion

Bangladesh's press freedom crisis, centred on the Digital Security Act and its successor, represents one of the most significant anti-press legal frameworks in South Asia. Over 100 journalists were arrested under these provisions between 2018 and 2024. The documented cases of torture in custody, the use of DSA prosecutions against editors and bloggers, and the state's systematic control of broadcast media collectively establish conditions of persecution for journalists with critical profiles. Those who have fled Bangladesh on account of their journalism retain a well-founded fear of persecution and are entitled to international protection.