Rejecting the report of Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF) on Bangladesh’s ranking in the World Press Freedom Index, Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasan Mahmud yesterday said the report was “malicious, objectionable and unacceptable”.

Bangladesh has slipped 10 notches in this year’s World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders, also known as Reporters sans frontières (RSF).

The annual report of the global media watchdog, Reporters Without Borders (also known as Reporters Sans Frontières), which was published yesterday (May 3, 2022), has commended “a certain editorial independence” maintained by The Daily Star and Prothom Alo.

On World Press Freedom Day, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said they honour the essential work of the media in speaking truth to power, exposing lies, and building strong, resilient institutions and societies. 

Bangladesh has slipped ten notches in this year's World Press Freedom Index, by Reporters Without Borders, also known as Reporters sans frontières (RSF).

The Editors’ Council today called upon the authorities concerned to reform the Digital Security Act in order to ensure press freedom in the country.

At least 25 national and international rights bodies and civil society organisations have made an urgent call for the government to support the community-led learning facilities in Cox’s Bazar’s Rohingya refugee camps.

Amid resistance from environmentalists and locals, the government has withdrawn the decision to construct Kalabagan Police Station on Tetultala playground -- at Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s instruction.

When workers were busy constructing boundary walls under the supervision of police at Tetultala playground, leaders of different green organisations, socio-cultural organisations and right groups planted trees next to it this afternoon.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal has not cleared up the confusion created over the ongoing construction of a police station at Tetultala playground in Dhaka’s Kalabagan, rights activists said today.

Twenty-two members of transgender community in Barguna received new houses as Eid gift from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today.

The US Commission on International Religious Freedom has expressed deep concerns about the worsening religious freedom conditions in Bangladesh and other South Asian countries.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has said that the Kalabagan Police Station is being constructed at the city's Tetultala​​​​​​​ playground with permission of all the authorities concerned.

Despite resistance from environmentalists, human rights bodies, eminent citizens, local people and children, construction work of Kalabagan police station is going on at Tetultala playground.

Environmental organisations today demanded that the government withdraw the decision of constructing Kalabagan police station building on Tetultala playground and keep it open for all.

The proposed Mass Media Employees (Services Conditions) Bill conflicts with the prevailing judiciary, industrial law and the country’s labour law, said the Newspaper Owners’ Association of Bangladesh (NOAB) today.

Kalabagan police today picked up Syeda Ratna, who has been leading protests to save Tetultola playground in Dhaka, along with her son Mohammad Isha Abdullah this morning.

The draft data protection act, the anti-discrimination bill, the new social media and OTT regulations, and the mass media employees bill are meant to protect the rights of citizens, but none will do so, said experts.

The US is encouraged to see that people from different faith groups live together peacefully in Bangladesh, but there are some elements who divide and create conflicts, said US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Rashad Hussain today.

The United States is aware of human rights violations and is trying to stand by the minorities who are persecuted around the world, US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Rashad Hussain said yesterday (April 17, 2022).