Between 13 and 28 August 2026, journalists in Satkhira, Shariatpur, Kushtia and Meherpur experienced separate incidents of alleged assault, threats, surveillance, retaliation and obstruction while undertaking public-interest reporting.
On 13 August in Satkhira, Jamuna TV reporter Akramul Islam alleged that a deputy commissioner had threatened his employment after he sought information about a fugitive murder accused pursuing a land case. Officials also allegedly forced camera operator Earul Islam to submit his camera for inspection.
In Shariatpur, Somoy TV journalist BM Israfil was allegedly attacked on 23 August after a Facebook post and suffered a fractured wrist. On 25 August, three reporters covering a protest were allegedly assaulted. A district BNP leader subsequently threatened further violence against journalists and, on 26 August, filed an extortion complaint against several of them. The journalists alleged that police delayed registering their complaint.
On 26 August in Kushtia, journalist Hasan Imam Ibne Habib received an anonymous letter, ordering him to stop writing, threatening him with death and claiming that his movements were being monitored. On 28 August, two journalists in Meherpur were allegedly beaten, confined and deprived of equipment while recording reported examination irregularities. Police opened an investigation, and education authorities disciplined implicated students and teachers.
The incidents are not known to be coordinated. However, their concentration within sixteen days shows journalists facing pressure from political actors, state officials, institutional actors and unidentified groups. The Human Rights Support Society (HRSS) condemned the Shariatpur attack, while Satkhira Press Club and Meherpur Press Club demanded investigations and accountability over the respective incidents. Such intimidation risks encouraging self-censorship, restricting access to information and weakening accountability, thereby narrowing the enabling environment for civil society and independent journalism.