Bangladesh is behind both Pakistan and Afghanistan in this year’s World Press Freedom Index – with Pakistan ranking 150th and Afghanistan ranking 152nd.
The World Press Freedom Index’s analysis for Bangladesh further says: “In the past decade, radical Islamist groups have waged extremely violent campaigns that have led to journalists being murdered. These groups now use social media to track down journalists who defend secularism, the right to alternative opinions or religious freedom.”
Asia, in general, did not fare well when it comes to press freedom. India ranked 161st and China ranked 179th in the World Press Freedom Index.
“The same trend can be found in Bangladesh (163rd) and Cambodia (147th), where governmental persecution of independent media has intensified in the run-up to elections that are due to be held in the coming months,” it says.
The top ten countries in the index, with the highest press freedom, are: Norway, Ireland, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Netherlands, Lithuania, Estonia, Portugal, and Timor-Leste.
These countries have strong democratic institutions and robust legal frameworks that protect the freedom of the press and the right to information.
The report highlights the need for governments to prioritize the protection of journalists and the promotion of press freedom as a fundamental human right.
Bd-pratidin English/Golam Rosul
