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commissioners, and administrative and financial framework would remain under direct government control and heavy bureaucratic influence.

It said such a design exposes the body to political interference and falls short of international human rights standards, including Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which requires media regulators to be independent, impartial, and free from executive control.

Beyond questions of structural independence, Article 19 said the ordinance contains further deficiencies, including the exclusion of freelance journalists from the legal definition of “journalist”, depriving a large segment of the media community of access to protections, accreditation, and safety mechanisms.

The organisation warned that such exclusion risks further weakening an already fragile media landscape.

It said the proposed Broadcasting Commission Ordinance mirrors the same problems, centralising state control rather than safeguarding pluralism, editorial independence, or public-interest journalism.

Article 19 also expressed concern that the rushed ordinances come nearly a year after the Bangladesh Media Reform Commission submitted its report on March 22, 2025, which included recommendations for a National Media Commission.

It said the interim government took no meaningful action on those recommendations, while members of the Reform Commission have publicly voiced frustration over the lack of follow-up.

“The government’s sudden urgency after months of inaction raises serious questions about motive and legitimacy,” the organisation said.

With Bangladesh set to form a new elected government after the February 12 national election, Article 19 urged the interim government to halt the enactment process and leave such far-reaching decisions to the incoming administration with a fresh democratic mandate.

It also called on the authorities to defer the ordinances, commit to a transparent and inclusive consultation process with journalists, editors, civil society, and legal experts, and ensure any future media regulator is fully independent and free from executive control.

The organisation further urged recognition of freelance journalists under relevant laws with equal protection, alignment of reforms with international human rights standards, including Article 19 of the ICCPR, and guarantees of safety and free movement for all journalists during the election period.