Geneva, Sept 1 (V7N) — The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), a Geneva-based global media rights watchdog, has expressed deep concern over the recent spate of mysterious deaths and ongoing harassment of journalists in Bangladesh. The organization has called on the country’s interim government to initiate transparent and impartial investigations into each incident, particularly as the nation prepares for its upcoming general election in February 2026.
 
The appeal from PEC follows the death of senior journalist Wahed-uz-Zaman Bulu, whose body was discovered by police under the Rupsa Bridge in Khulna on Sunday evening. A resident of Sonadanga upazila in Khulna, Bulu, 60, had worked for reputed news outlets including Dainik Ajker Kagoj, Sangbad Pratidin, and United News of Bangladesh.
 
Earlier, on August 22, another journalist, Bibhuranjan Sarkar, was found dead along the banks of the Meghna River. The 70-year-old veteran journalist, who lived in the Siddheshwari area of Dhaka, had been missing for several days. He had a long career in journalism, starting as a rural correspondent for Dainik Azad and later contributing to Dainik Matribhumi, Saptahik Chaltipatra, Saptahik Mridubhashan, and most recently Ajker Patrika.
 
“These deaths raise serious questions about the safety of journalists in Bangladesh. The country continues to witness not only physical violence but also mental harassment and intimidation of media personnel,” said Blaise Lempen, President of PEC. “In the past year alone, over 500 cases of harassment against journalists have been reported. We urge the Bangladeshi authorities to ensure credible investigations into every incident and create a safe environment for the press, particularly in light of the upcoming national elections.”
 
PEC’s South and Southeast Asia representative, Nava Thakuria, further noted that at least three journalists have been killed by assailants in Bangladesh between late July and August 25.
 
Md Asaduzzaman Tuhin, a reporter for Dainik Pratidiner Kagoj, was brutally hacked to death by unknown attackers in Gazipur on August 7. A day earlier, on August 6, Dainik Bangladesher Alo reporter Anwar Hossain was also murdered in Gazipur. Earlier on June 25, Khandaker Shah Alam, affiliated with Dainik Materi Jagat, was killed in the Nabinagar area of Dhaka.
 
The string of killings and ongoing hostilities toward journalists has raised alarms within local and international media circles. While Bangladesh’s media landscape remains vibrant, journalists are increasingly operating under threats, censorship, and fear—conditions that significantly undermine press freedom.
 
PEC has reiterated its call for international attention to the plight of Bangladeshi journalists and urged Dhaka’s interim administration to prioritize press safety as an essential component of a free and fair democratic process.
 
Bangladesh, home to over 170 million people, is currently under an interim government ahead of its 13th parliamentary election, scheduled for the first week of February 2026. Journalists and civil society groups have repeatedly demanded reforms to ensure press freedom, which many believe is being undermined by increasing acts of violence, intimidation, and lack of accountability for crimes against media workers.
 
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