Geneva: Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), the global media safety and rights organization, called on the interim government of Bangladesh to launch a swift investigation into the killing of five journalists in recent weeks and to criminally punish the perpetrators. The South Asian country witnessed a month-long unrest that began in mid-July 2024, when the student-led movement toppled the Awami League government in Dhaka and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was forced to flee to seek temporary refuge in India. Hundreds of journalists reporting from the ground were injured when they were attacked by Bangladesh’s armed forces as well as Hasina’s numerous allies.

Recently, a complaint was filed in Dhaka against ousted Prime Minister Hasina by close relatives of the victim and photojournalist Tahir Zaman Priyo, who was shot dead in the capital on July 20 during a nationwide protest demonstration demanding job quota reforms. The complaint names Hasina as well as former Interior Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, former Inspector General Choudhury Abdullah Al Mamun, former Deputy Commissioner of Police Ashraf Imam, former New Market Police Station Chief Aminul Islam and others. The complainant claims that they had to struggle for hours to file the complaint as the police personnel on duty simply ignored them.

The movement against reservation in public services developed into a massive outcry against the Hasina regime and also claimed the lives of Hasan Mehedi (who worked for the Dhaka Times), Shakil Hossain (Daily Bhorer Awaj), Abu Taher Md Turab (Daily Naya Diganta) and Pradip Kumar Bhowmik (Daily Khoborpatra). When Hasina left Dhaka on August 5, a caretaker government led by Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus was sworn in three days later, with the main aim of holding fresh elections within a few months and handing over power to the winning party.

“We demand a fair investigation into all incidents related to journalist killings in Bangladesh and hope that Prof. Yunus will personally take action to bring the truth to light. Journalists are doing their work under difficult circumstances and the new regime in Dhaka should consider repealing all brutal laws against media workers,” said PEC President Blaise Lempen, adding that the authorities could also compensate all grieving journalist families as soon as possible.

Nava Thakuria, the PEC’s representative for South Asia, said that the interim government had recently decided to set up a foundation to support the families of the victims of the July-August movement. The foundation will be chaired by Prof. Yunus himself. Over 600 nationals, including 30 youth, were killed in the unprecedented uprising and thousands more were injured. The PEC expects the authorities to pay due respect to the media representatives who witnessed the carnage while on duty.