In the realm of free media, there is no alternative to the expression of free speech

On last Friday (May 3rd) was World Press Freedom Day. On this occasion, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) released the 2024 World Press Freedom Index. In comparison to last year, Bangladesh has slipped two steps back in the global media freedom ranking. Among 180 countries, Bangladesh ranks 165th, with a score of 27.64. In the 2023 Index, Bangladesh's position was 163rd, with a score of 35.31. Such information is an ominous sign for the freedom of the press, as well as for the expression of the country's opinion.

Bangladesh's dissatisfaction with press freedom index worsens every year. The largest decline occurred in 2022. In comparison to 2021, Bangladesh fell 10 places in the index that year. The following year, Bangladesh slipped one more step. And this time, it has fallen behind by two steps. Accordingly, comparing 2021 to 2024, Bangladesh's dissatisfaction in the index has increased by 13 steps over three years, landing Bangladesh from 152nd to 165th position.

RSF publishes this index based on how freely the media can operate in various countries worldwide, focusing on five areas: politics, economy, legal environment, social, and security. Despite no change in Bangladesh's position in the social and security index compared to last year, dissatisfaction has occurred in the remaining three areas.

Recently, Bangladesh has faced several pieces of bad news. None of Bangladesh's universities have made it into the top 300 list of universities in Asia. In terms of education quality, Bangladesh ranks 123rd among 138 countries. Dhaka tops the list of most polluted cities globally. Dhaka's air contains five types of toxic gases. Among the countries most vulnerable to long-term global climate change disasters, Bangladesh is among the top.

These pieces of news have indeed left us deeply concerned. To be honest, a matter of even greater concern than these news items is the decline in the press freedom index itself. When media freedom diminishes, other democratic environments are also affected. And when democratic environments are compromised, a nation can no longer ensure its political, economic, legal security, social well-being, and safety. It's crucial for all of us to remember that a decline in press freedom index naturally indicates a deterioration in various other aspects as well. One thing we must all keep in mind is that when press freedom diminishes, it inevitably has a significant impact on the overall development of a country. Therefore, we need to be more vigilant and aware regarding the issue of press freedom, as it has a profound impact on the nation's progress and well-being.

But why is press freedom declining? The decline in press freedom is not unknown, and there are allegations that a significant portion of the media ownership in Bangladesh is politically influential. As a result, when they align with the government in power, these media outlets tend to play a passive role. According to RSF, if supporters of the ruling party do not favor journalists, they launch violent attacks against them. There is an unabated threat of judicial harassment to silence journalists or shut down media outlets. In such hostile environments, editors proceed cautiously when challenging the government's standpoint.

RSF has also criticized the Cyber Security Act (CSA), which replaced the Digital Security Act, stating that in Bangladesh, a significant portion of privately-owned media is under the influence of major business entities involved in the country's economic progress.

They perceive their own media outlets as a tool for expanding influence and generating profits. In this regard, they prioritize maintaining good relations with the government over editorial independence.

We believe that due to the presence of various laws, harassment, punitive measures, and different forms of restrictions, the scope for journalists to work in Bangladesh is gradually shrinking. Besides that, the types of restrictions imposed on journalists' entry into various government institutions create unease among media workers. Therefore, to enable media workers to work freely, policymakers need to make the path smoother.