IPI denounces physical assaults on journalists

As Bangladesh's 13th parliamentary elections approach, the International Press Institute (IPI) urges political parties, the interim government and election officials to demonstrate their commitment to press freedom by ensuring journalists are able to do their jobs freely and safely. The IPI statement affirms "We emphasize the critical role that a free media play in ensuring elections are carried out fairly and in line with democratic standards." 

IPI is headquartered in Vienna, Austria. According to IPI, this week's parliamentary elections will be Bangladesh's first since longtime ruler Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country in August 2024 after her government's violent crackdown on student-led protests. Since former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's departure, an interim government, headed by Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus, has led the country. The February 12 polls will determine the makeup of the new government, in light of IPI's evaluation disclosed on 6 February 2026.

In the months leading up to the upcoming votes, political tensions have flared up and attacks on members of mass media have been on the rise. In December 2025, the Dhaka offices of two of Bangladesh's leading newspapers, the Daily Star and Prothom Alo, were vandalized and set ablaze by a violent mob of protesters. Between December and January, local rights groups documented 16 incidents of journalists being physically assaulted or otherwise obstructed from carrying out their work. Many local journalists fear they will be subjected to physical violence while reporting on the election. 

"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 IPI Global Advocacy Officer Rowan Humphries. "This moment must be used to reverse years of democratic backsliding - marked by growing attacks on the media - and to show leadership in the region by safeguarding democratic processes and rights."

Under Sheikh Hasina's 15-year rule, the space for free media in Bangladesh shrank considerably. IPI monitoring data documented widespread physical, verbal, and online threats and attacks on journalists. Many cases of assaults, and even killings, of journalists were treated with impunity. The Hasina government also abused judicial levers, including the draconian now-repealed Digital Security Act, to target and silence critical media.

The interim government led by Dr. Muhammad Yunus has been criticized for failing to take meaningful action to curb press freedom violations in Bangladesh, IPI added.

>>Ovik Sarkar, Vienna