Dhaka’s interim government under Muhammad Yunus faces mounting accusations of weaponizing anti-terrorism legislation to silence critical voices in the press. Reports reveal a disturbing pattern where journalists are detained without trial, slapped with outlandish charges like murder, and held for months on end.
According to analysis from independent think tanks, by December 2025, over 640 journalists had been targeted through criminal cases, financial probes, and outright violence. This marks what experts call the administration’s most shameful move yet: granting blanket approvals for arrests that stifle free speech.
Take Anis Almgir, a Dhaka-based reporter nabbed on December 14 for critiquing government policies on social media. He’s now languishing in custody under anti-terror charges. Similarly, Monjurul Alam Panna faces the same fate for joining a constitutional debate—an activity protected under global free expression norms.
Yunus’s press secretary Shafiqul Alam counters that no journalist has been prosecuted for criticism alone, insisting they remain free to write anything. But the evidence paints a grimmer picture of ‘legal armament,’ where laws bypass direct censorship by routing through courts and police meant to safeguard the press.
Bangladesh’s anti-terror law is notoriously broad, allowing indefinite detention sans warrant, up to 24 days of custody interrogation, and life sentences. It sweeps in any act stirring ‘public fear’ or disrupting government functions, making journalism a high-risk endeavor.
Fear grips newsrooms. A senior editor in Dhaka, speaking off-record, admitted feeling terrified and insecure about criticizing the regime. Many colleagues resort to self-censorship just to survive. Tensions peaked in December when mobs torched offices of The Daily Star and Prothom Alo, branding them pro-India and Sheikh Hasina backers.
This crackdown not only erodes press freedom but signals a broader authoritarian slide in the interim setup. International watchdogs urge intervention to protect those chronicling the nation’s turbulent transition. Without reform, Bangladesh risks isolating itself on the global stage, where media liberty is a cornerstone of democracy.