Media Organizations Call on Bangladesh's Interim Government to Rehire Dismissed Journalists

Media Organizations Condemn Firing of Bangladeshi Journalists, Urge Reinstatement

The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia (FCCSA), the Press Club of India, and the Indian Association of Foreign Affairs Correspondents expressed deep concern on Saturday over the dismissal of five senior Bangladeshi journalists from Samay TV. The journalists were reportedly terminated following demands from Hasnat Abdullaha, a prominent leader of the Anti-Discrimination Students’ Movement, during his visit to the channel's promoters.

In its statement, FCCSA strongly criticized the move, calling on Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, to safeguard press freedom. “We remind the Interim Government in Bangladesh of its commitment to uphold press freedom. A leader’s visit to a newsroom to demand favorable coverage amounts to news censorship and policing of information through intimidation,” the statement read.

The Incident

According to the FCCSA, Abdullaha visited Samay TV’s management on December 17, alleging the channel was distorting his remarks and supporting a discredited political party. Following this visit, Samay TV terminated five veteran journalists on December 22, citing organizational “risks.” The journalists—Chief Input Editor Omar Faroque, Chief Output Editor Ariful Sajjad, Digital Head Kamal Shahriar, Assistant Special Presenter Debashish Ray, and Senior Reporter Bulbul Reza—had served the network for over a decade.

Abdullaha later claimed on social media that his visit to the channel’s investors was intended to protest against its alleged bias. Meanwhile, one of the dismissed journalists told German broadcaster DW that the resignations were demanded due to “risks” to the organization, suggesting implicit threats from Abdullaha’s supporters.

FCCSA's Appeal

The FCCSA urged Samay TV to reinstate the journalists and allow them to resume their roles. “We call upon Chief Adviser Prof. Mohammad Yunus to uphold the rule of law and protect press freedoms,” the statement added.

Broader Context

The incident occurs amid strained India-Bangladesh relations following the establishment of the interim government led by Yunus. The situation has been exacerbated by recent attacks on minorities, including Hindus, and the political exile of Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India on August 5 after her regime was toppled by student-led protests over a controversial job quota system.

The dismissal of the journalists has sparked international concerns over media independence and the increasing threats to press freedom in Bangladesh.