IPI Urges Bangladesh Authorities and Political Parties to Respect Press Freedom Ahead of Election

The upcoming vote will be Bangladesh’s first national election since long-time prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country in August 2024 following a violent crackdown on student-led protests. Since her departure, the country has been governed by an interim administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. The February 12 election will determine the composition of the next government at a time of heightened political tension and uncertainty.

IPI said political polarisation in the months leading up to the vote has been accompanied by a worrying rise in attacks on journalists and media organisations. In December 2025, the Dhaka offices of two of Bangladesh’s leading newspapers, The Daily Star and Prothom Alo, were vandalised and set on fire by a violent mob. Between December and January, local rights groups documented at least 16 incidents in which journalists were physically assaulted or obstructed from carrying out their work. Many reporters now fear they could face physical violence while covering election-related events.

“At this critical turning point for democracy in Bangladesh, IPI strongly urges all political parties to show their respect for freedom of the press and for the rights of journalists to cover elections freely and safely,” said Rowan Humphries, IPI’s Global Advocacy Officer. He said the current moment must be used to reverse years of democratic erosion marked by growing attacks on the media and to demonstrate leadership in the region by safeguarding democratic processes and fundamental rights.

The organisation added that the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus has faced criticism for failing to take meaningful steps to curb violations of press freedom since assuming power. IPI warned that without concrete action to protect journalists and uphold media independence, the upcoming election risks falling short of democratic standards and undermining public trust in the electoral process.

According to IPI monitoring, space for free media in Bangladesh shrank significantly during Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year rule, with widespread physical, verbal, and online threats against journalists. Many attacks, including cases of killings, were met with impunity. IPI also said legal tools were abused to silence critical media, citing the now-repealed Digital Security Act as a key example of how judicial mechanisms were used to target journalists.