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Unity among journos played crucial role
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potential dangers, which showed a collective resilience and helped us navigate the situation.”
Qadaruddin Shishir, Fact Check editor at AFP, explained the difficulties in verifying information during the unrest and blackout.
“It wasn’t easy to determine the exact death toll. We contacted hospitals, on-duty doctors, and authorities, but after a few days, they stopped sharing data.”
Shishir also accused the then-government of attempting to downplay casualties. “They couldn’t entirely suppress the numbers, as we were able to present the real data through our own investigative processes.”
He also described how AFP’s office became a hub for local journalists during the blackout.
“We had alternative internet access, so reporters from other outlets came to our office to use our facilities. We even designated computers for them to send or publish stories.”
Shishir further said there was a surge of disinformation once the internet was restored. “The government circulated videos and images claiming Jamaat-Shibir activists were attacking students, but in reality, they were old videos of attacks by pro-government groups. We debunked at least 50 such videos.”
Shamima Sultana, senior reporter at Channel 24, recounted how journalists adapted to the blackout. “We returned to old-school reporting -- calling protesters for comments and relying on text messages when calls failed.
“As broadcasting was disrupted due to internet blackout, we depended on cable connections, which were frequently cut by government agencies. Despite these challenges, we found any and every alternative way to get the news out.”
Asked during the question-answer session about the trauma faced by journalists, she said, “I was brutally beaten by a mob at Shahbagh the day before Hasina fled. That incident still haunts me. The trauma is still fresh.”
Saim Bin Mujib, multimedia journalist at The Daily Star, said, “We tried to cover every angle -- from students side to pro-government forces to law enforcers side -- but almost everyone barred us from filming and there were fears of being attacked. The risks were extremely high.
“As the digital media team was reliant on the internet, the blackout posed an existential crisis for us. Yet, we persisted -- we continued filming and editing videos daily, we archived them all and kept them ready for publishing as soon as the internet was restored.”
He further said, “This movement was also something new in many of our reporters’ careers. So, we had to come up with new ideas and ways to cover such incidents.”
Suravita Basak, country lead of feminist organisation Swayong, highlighted their campaign “All Eyes on Bangladesh”, through which they shared news and information about the July uprising on their social media platform.
While moderating the event, Naziba Basher, senior sub-editor at the The Daily Star, answered a question regarding what change is expected in journalism after over 15 years of the press being gagged. “The state must take responsibility for protecting its journalists. But if we want real change in journalism, journalists must lead the way and commit to non-partisan reporting. It’s a matter of conscience.”