Days after violent attacks on the offices of leading Bangladeshi newspapers sparked international outrage, fresh threats against the media have intensified concerns over press freedom in the country. In the latest incident, a group of youths reportedly visited the office of Global TV Bangladesh in Dhaka and issued a direct warning, demanding the removal of the channel’s head of news, Naznin Munni. They allegedly threatened that if their demand was not met, Global TV would face the same fate as Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, whose offices were recently vandalised and set on fire. The youths accused Naznin, a well-known television anchor, of being aligned with the Awami League.
The individuals claimed to represent the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, a group that played a central role in last year’s protests. However, the organisation has denied any involvement in the incident. Its president, Rifat Rashid, publicly distanced the group from the threats and said disciplinary action would be taken if any of its members were found responsible.
The threat was issued on December 21, just days after unrest broke out across Bangladesh following the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, an outspoken anti-India youth leader. The attacks on Prothom Alo and The Daily Star occurred three days earlier, during a wave of violence linked to protests after Hadi was shot by unidentified assailants and later died from his injuries.
In a Facebook post, Naznin Munni said that around seven or eight people came to Global TV’s Tejgaon office and delivered the warning. She described the incident as part of a broader pattern of intimidation targeting journalists and independent media outlets amid the current unrest.
Naznin later said she was not present at the office when the youths arrived. According to her, they met the managing director and complained that Global TV’s coverage of Sharif Osman Hadi’s death was insufficient. Hadi, a polarising figure with a strong anti-India stance, rose to prominence during the 2024 student movement that eventually led to the removal of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
Recalling what she was told, Naznin said the youths demanded to know why she was still employed at the channel, insisting that she was an Awami League supporter and should be dismissed immediately. She said the managing director firmly rejected the allegation, explaining that she had no political affiliation with the Awami League, which has since been barred from contesting the upcoming elections.
Despite this clarification, the youths reportedly refused to accept the explanation and demanded a written undertaking stating that Naznin would be removed from her position within 48 hours. When the managing director declined to sign any such document, the group allegedly became aggressive and issued a final warning, claiming that even major media houses like Prothom Alo and The Daily Star had been unable to resist similar pressure, and that Global TV would fare no better.
The incident has deepened fears within Bangladesh’s journalist community, which is already shaken by recent attacks, and has raised fresh questions about the safety of media professionals and the future of independent reporting in the country.
