At first glance, it may appear that people in Bangladesh enjoy the freedom to express themselves without fear of persecution. The media also seems relatively free to report on matters of public interest. However, a closer examination reveals the existence of substantial limitations to this freedom.
It may appear that people in Bangladesh enjoy freedom of expression without fear of persecution. The media also seems relatively free to report on matters of public interest. But a deeper look reveals the opposite.
On Monday, in her sharpest criticism yet of Prothom Alo, and as the latest to weigh in on this issue, the prime minister called the paper “the enemy of Awami League, the enemy of democracy, and the enemy of the people of the country.”
Condemn me to your heart’s content if you find what I have said above unacceptable, but please don’t fail to ask the questions I have raised, the most vital of which is: are we, as journalists, able to think freely, or are we being clouded by prejudice, politics and financial interest?