NOAB voices concern over Janakantha incidents

The Newspaper Owners' Association of Bangladesh (NOAB) has expressed concern over the recent unexpected incidents centring the daily Janakantha, as well as the overall freedom of media and the safety of journalists in the country.

In a statement signed by its President AK Azad yesterday, NOAB said that the latest report from Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) paints a bleak picture regarding the freedom of media and access to information.

"People of the country united with the expectation of establishing a free, democratic society through a mass uprising, and we firmly believed that fundamental rights such as freedom of expression and freedom of the media would be guaranteed. Unfortunately, that expectation has not been fulfilled in the past year," reads the statement.

"We have observed with concern that recently, at the daily Janakantha newspaper, there has been an attempt to evict the owners and forcibly press demands by inciting a mob," it added.

"If there are any dues or payments owed to the workers, it is supposed to be resolved through the Labour Court. Any disputes related to news or content could be reported to the Bangladesh Press Council for resolution. However, instead of doing that, an untoward situation was created at the newspaper's office and on the portal," said NOAB.

"The culture of inciting mobs at any newspaper or media house to threaten and intimidate the owners must be stopped," the statement added.

According to TIB, between August 2024 and July 2025, at least 496 journalists faced harassment. Of them, 266 were accused in murder cases linked to the July uprising. Three journalists were killed while on duty, and at least 24 media professionals were removed from their posts. Editors of eight newspapers and news editors of 11 private television channels were also dismissed, said the statement.

NOAB demands that the government take urgent steps to safeguard press freedom and ensure a free and democratic society.