ARTICLE 19 is deeply concerned over the brutal killing of Asaduzzaman Tuhin, the Gazipur staff reporter for Dainik Protidiner Kagoj, on the night of Thursday, 7 August 2025. Reports indicate that Tuhin was attacked after filming a group of four or five men, armed with weapons, assaulting a young man. Upon noticing Tuhin, the assailants briefly paused, looked back, and then chased him into a nearby tea shop, where they stabbed him to death before fleeing the scene. ARTICLE 19 demands a prompt, fair and impartial investigation of the incident and for those responsible to be held accountable before the law. The murder comes amid rising violence against journalists, sparking profound concern about the safety of journalists in Bangladesh.
Tuhin’s killing follows the murder of another Bangladeshi journalist, Khandaker Shah Alam, the Nabinagar Upazila correspondent for the Bangla-language newspaper Daily Matrijagat, who died on 25 June after being assaulted by former prisoner Babul Mia, locally known as ‘Tiger Babul Dakat’, reportedly in retaliation for the journalist’s reporting on Babul Mia’s earlier arrest. Babul Mia, implicated in multiple robbery cases, had been released from prison earlier the same day.
A day earlier, on 6 August, Anwar Hossain Sourav, 35, staff reporter for the daily Bangladesher Alo, was attacked in broad daylight, reportedly in front of police, while they were investigating allegations of extortion collected from battery-run and CNG-run auto-rickshaw drivers. The police did not intervene. Sourav is currently undergoing treatment at Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital and is in a critical condition.
The murder of Asaduzzaman Tuhin is one of a series of attacks against journalists in Bangladesh over the last couple of months. Bangladesh’s interim government has a duty to investigate such attacks promptly, thoroughly and independently, and prosecute those responsible. The rising violence against journalists is alarming, and must be stopped immediately.
Unfortunately, Bangladesh authorities have not enacted a specific law to protect journalists. Most of the murders of journalists, including the killing of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi,have not been prosecuted, fuelling violence against the media and a culture of impunity for crimes committed against them. Sagar Sarowar, news editor at Maasranga TV, and Meherun Runi, senior reporter at ATN Bangla, were killed on 11 February 2012 at their apartment in Dhaka’s West Rajabazar. Police have yet to complete their investigation into the crime.
The recent attacks on journalists ahead of national elections, due to take place in early February 2026, are alarming for all media workers, civil society activists, and advocates for democracy. Under international human rights law and international humanitarian law, it is the responsibility of the State to provide adequate protection to all media personnel, including journalists.
Bangladesh ranks 127 in ARTICLE 19’s Global Expression Report 2025, and remains in the ‘In Crisis’ category, with an expression score of 15. ARTICLE 19 strongly denounces the brutal killing of journalist Asaduzzaman Tuhin, and highlights a disturbing trend of violent attacks against journalists and media workers in Bangladesh. Bangladesh’s interim government must take effective measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents and ensure that journalists can perform their duties without fear of violence or retribution.
For more information, please contact:
Shahnewaj Patwari
Head of Programmes, ARTICLE 19 South Asia
T +88(0) 1733 560 127
Email: [email protected]