Recent incidents in different parts of the country involving journalists being obstructed, assaulted, threatened and having their equipment snatched while carrying out their professional duties are deeply concerning for press freedom and the right to freedom of expression.

The concern is even greater because activists and leaders of the ruling BNP’s affiliated and associate organisations have been named in some of these incidents.

If, even after a change of power, journalists continue to face the same kind of political intimidation and attacks, questions will inevitably arise about how much the country’s democratic environment has actually changed.

The attack on Daily Star district correspondent Omar Ali Sohag in Jhenaidah is particularly serious. On 29 August, he was covering an event attended by Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman when he was attacked by activists of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD).

According to him, Jhenaidah Press Club president and BNP district joint general secretary Asif Iqbal Makhon insulted him and removed him from the venue, accusing him of publishing negative reports about the government.

Later, 15 to 20 JCD activists allegedly assaulted him. The question here is not simply why a journalist was beaten; it is why a journalist was prevented from performing his professional duties through the use of political influence.

In Shariatpur, three journalists were assaulted during a BNP programme in front of the deputy commissioner’s office on 25 August. They are Daily Star journalist Zahid Hasan, News24 and Jago News journalist Bidhan Majumder, and Manabkantha journalist Barkat Molla.

They alleged that the attack was carried out under the leadership of former district Jubo Dal president Arifuzzaman Molla. Earlier, another journalist, BM Israfil, alleged that he was injured in an attack and suffered a broken wrist.