Questioning Is Now a ‘Crime’: Bangladesh Orders 3 Journalists to Remain in Jail Until Trial Ends

Bangladeshi journalists arrested for asking questions during Hasina’s ouster denied bail.  A special tribunal in Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka on Monday ordered three journalists to remain in jail until the conclusion of their trial in a case related to the mass uprising that ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2024.

Lawyers confirmed the development.

Hundreds of people were killed during the student-led uprising. Sheikh Hasina was later sentenced to death on charges of crimes against humanity. She has been staying in India for the past two years and was tried in absentia.

The tribunal ordered Mozammel Babu, editor-in-chief of private broadcaster Ekattor Television; Farzana Rupa, the channel’s principal correspondent; and Shyamal Dutta, editor of the daily Bhorer Kagoj and former general secretary of the National Press Club, to remain in custody.

After the three journalists appeared before the tribunal on Monday, the judge scheduled October 25 for the next proceedings. The court also instructed investigators to submit their findings or investigation reports against the journalists.

Human Rights Groups Criticise the Detention

International human rights organisations have criticised the decision to keep the journalists in jail and deny them bail. They have called on the authorities to withdraw the charges against the journalists and to stop criminalising the work of reporting and publishing news.

What Are the Journalists Accused Of?

Prosecutors allege that the three journalists incited the suppression of student protesters during the uprising.

According to the allegations, the journalists asked Sheikh Hasina “provocative” questions at a press conference on July 14, 2024. Following those questions, Hasina made disparaging remarks about the protesters, after which a bloody crackdown was launched against the demonstrators, resulting in hundreds of deaths.

The three journalists have remained in custody since Hasina’s ouster while facing various cases. These include murder allegations related to the July-August 2024 uprising.

They were arrested during the interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus. That government handed over power to a new administration in February.

The families of the journalists have alleged that they have been illegally detained.

Strong Criticism From CPJ

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has strongly criticised the filing of crimes-against-humanity cases against the journalists.

Earlier this month, Kunal Majumder, CPJ’s Asia-Pacific programme coordinator, said in a statement that bringing crimes-against-humanity charges against Shyamal Dutta, Mozammel Babu and Farzana Rupa simply for asking questions at a press conference was “outrageous and deeply troubling.”

He said that journalists’ editorial decisions may be partisan or ethically questionable, but they cannot be treated as criminal acts.

According to him, criminalising editorial decisions sets a dangerous precedent and undermines Bangladesh’s reputation as a democracy. He called for the immediate release of the three journalists and the withdrawal of the charges against them.

Sheikh Hasina’s Stay in India

Sheikh Hasina has been in India since August 5, 2024. She recently said that she would return to Bangladesh in December.

The Yunus-led government and the government of current Prime Minister Tarique Rahman have requested India to extradite Sheikh Hasina to Bangladesh. However, India has rejected the request.