In Dhaka, Bangladesh, a court permitted the police to question two journalists who were detained in connection with the murder of a garment worker. The journalists, Shakil Ahmed and Farzana Rupa, were arrested while attempting to travel abroad with their daughter. They were former employees of Ekattor TV, a pro-government channel that fired them after the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and left the country amidst student protests. The police sought a 10-day remand but were granted four days by the court for questioning.
Initially not named in the murder case, Ahmed and Rupa were arrested as two of the unidentified accused involved in the worker’s death during a protest. Police alleged that the journalists had incited violence against the protesters during Hasina’s rule. This development occurred amid changes in leadership by interim leader Muhammad Yunus, who has been restructuring various public sectors and dismissing elected officials across the country following Hasina’s resignation.
The United Nations reported more than 650 deaths in the recent violence in Bangladesh, with over 400 casualties between July 16 and August 4, and about 250 following Hasina’s departure. Human Rights Watch expressed concern over the arrest of the journalist couple, emphasizing the need for justice reforms rather than retaliation. The student protests initially targeted a government job quota system but grew into a movement against Hasina’s perceived autocracy, ultimately leading to her resignation after a 15-year rule.
The United Nations dispatched a team to Bangladesh to investigate alleged human rights violations during the violent period. The team is scheduled to visit Dhaka from August 22-29 to assess the country’s priorities for promoting human rights. In response to recent attacks on media outlets, a UN spokesman stressed the importance of holding perpetrators of violence against journalists accountable to ensure press freedom and safety worldwide.
