Media Censorship in Bangladesh: A Threat to Democracy and Human Rights
Press FreedomBangladesh
A paper for JOUR459P at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism examining how laws such as the Information and Communication Technology Act 2006 and the Digital Security Act 2018 have been used to arrest and prosecute journalists and activists for their online activity.
It also looks at the ownership of Bangladesh’s media, where outlets controlled by business conglomerates with close ties to the ruling party or the military encourage self-censorship and biased reporting, even within an otherwise vibrant press.
Two governments, one toolkit
Both parties in power reached for a similar censorship toolkit
BNP 2001–06Awami League since 2009
ICT Act 2006Digital Security Act 2018
- 2002Editor arrested for sedition
- 2005BBC Bangla site blocked
- 2006Pro-opposition news sites blocked
- 2018Shahidul Alam arrested under the ICT Act
- 2020Shafiqul Islam Kajol missing 53 days after DSA charges
- 2021Rozina Islam arrested over corruption reporting
200020052010201520202025
Outcome the paper traces: self-censorship, and a press that cannot act as a watchdog.