Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General and former Member of Parliament Prof Mia Golam Parwar issued a strongly worded statement condemning the historical and ongoing suppression of press freedom in Bangladesh marking the 'Black Day of Newspapers'.
Parwar pledged to continue working to safeguard the rights and interests of newspapers and journalists across the country in his statement released on Monday Reflecting on the origins of the 'Black Day,' Prof Parwar said, "On February 24, 1975, the then government formed BAKSAL and imposed a one-party rule and as a result all the remaining newspapers were closed on June 16 leaving only four government-controlled newspapers in the country.
As a result, thousands of journalists became unemployed and were forced to live inhumane lives with their families and relatives. This day is marked as a 'black day' in the history of Bangladesh for the suppression of media and freedom of speech."
Drawing a parallel with more recent developments, he lambasted the Awami League for continuing what he termed a legacy of media repression. "After coming to power in 2009, Sheikh Hasina's government closed down several media outlets including Dainik Amar Desh, Channel One, Diganta TV, CSB TV and Islamic TV. As a result, many media workers became unemployed," said the Jamaat leader accusing the former ruling party of orchestrating systemic efforts to curtail dissent.
He further criticized the legislative framework underpinning recent crackdowns on the press stating, "The government enacted a repressive law called the Digital Security Act in 2018 to silence journalists. Later, its name was changed to 'Cyber Security Act-2023' in 2023, but its basic nature remained unchanged. Through this law, many journalists and free-thinking people were sent to jail and harassed."
However, Prof Parwar acknowledged what he described as corrective measures undertaken by the current interim government. "The current interim government has repealed the remaining nine sections of the black law and has also allowed the reopening of some closed media outlets," he claimed.
Reaffirming his party's commitment to press freedom, the Jamaat Secretary General emphasized the indispensable role of the media in democratic governance. "In the modern world, newspapers are the fourth pillar of the state. Journalists play an important role in raising public awareness, protecting democracy and revealing the truth," he said. "If the people give Jamaat a chance to form a government in the future, the party will play an effective role in protecting freedom of speech and protecting the dignity and rights of newspapers and journalists."
