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routine harassment, especially in district and upazila towns, where they are highly vulnerable.

Public trust in the media has hit rock bottom because it cannot operate independently, he opined. “The attack on freedom comes from two fronts. One is the government ... The other factor is the media’s economy and the influence of owners and corporate interests, which still persists,” said Kamal, also consulting editor of The Daily Star.

“We want clear policy commitments from the government and a principled stance to ensure media freedom and protection. Until such commitments are made, I will remain skeptical.”

Highlighting the financial struggles of television channels, Broadcast Journalism Centre (BJC) Chairman Fahim Ahmed said, “Out of 37 TV channels, 22 do not or cannot pay salaries of their employees regularly.”

Except for one or two organisations, none offer provident fund or gratuity benefits to journalists, he alleged.

At the event, senior TV journalist Shahnaz Munni expressed frustration over poor remuneration. “Even university journalism graduates no longer want to join this profession. How can postgraduates start their careers with such incredibly low starting salaries?”

She also noted a decline in the number of female journalists, attributing it to workplace harassment, online hate campaigns, and a lack of security on the ground.

Dhaka Tribune Editor Reaz Ahmad alleged that the governments are highly discriminatory in distributing state advertisements, often allocating funds to obscure newspapers.

He opined that Bangladesh has an abundance of “junk” or substandard media outlets, causing real journalism to get lost in the noise of hundreds of platforms.

Another speaker criticised the continued use of the cyber security law to file cases over political comments or social media posts. An apprentice journalist alleged that investigative reports are often dropped following phone calls from the high-ups to protect the media owners’ interests.

Regarding the attacks on The Daily Star and Prothom Alo offices, TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman described the incidents and the government’s silent role as “rare, not just in Bangladesh’s history, but in the world”.

“The media in Bangladesh has always been under pressure, but directly attacking institutions like this, putting human lives at risk, and actively trying to destroy them is unprecedented,” he said.

He alleged that the then government made no active efforts to prevent the attacks. “These incidents did not happen suddenly; they were planned.” Despite knowing this, the government did not deploy police personnel or other ground forces to protect the institutions, he added.

Referring to the same incidents, BJC Chairman Fahim said, “The interim government did not impose restrictions on the media, but it didn’t protect it either. It merely stood by and watched. We saw two media offices being burned down. Did the government not see it? Surely, they did. But they will simply say they didn’t do it.”

Zahed Ur Rahman, adviser to the prime minister on information and broadcasting, said the current elected government would not commit the “stupidity” of engaging in conflicts with the media.

“People can now criticise the government without any censorship ... we want this to continue,” he said.

About the arrests of journalists on various charges, including murder, during the interim government, Zahed said the prime minister has taken the matter into “serious cognisance” and expressed hope for a swift resolution.

He added that plans are there to form a special monitoring cell at the Prime Minister’s Office to prevent cyberbullying against female journalists.

At the event, Susan Vize, head of office and Unesco representative to Bangladesh, said, “Independent, pluralistic, and professional media are central to informed public discourse. Strengthening journalist safety and information integrity is critical to rebuilding trust in today’s complex information environment.”

German Ambassador Rüdiger Lotz, and Paola Castro Neiderstam, first secretary at the Embassy of Sweden, among others, also spoke on the occasion.