Since Bangladesh’s fourth Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in 2023, there has been minimal progress in improving the situation for the right to freedom of expression and information. According to ARTICLE 19’s Global Expression Report, Bangladesh remains ‘in crisis’ regarding the exercise of the right to freedom of expression.
During its review, Bangladesh received 301 UPR recommendations to improve its human rights record – including 30 specifically related to the right to freedom of expression and information – highlighting the scale of human rights challenges in the country. However, the government has failed to meaningfully implement the vast majority of these recommendations.
Bangladesh is preparing for a general election in February 2026. This follows the 2024 July Uprising, a mass wave of student-led and citizen-backed protests against authoritarian governance, corruption, and economic hardship. This subsequently led to the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the formation of an interim government. An enabling environment for the right to freedom of expression and information and a healthy information ecosystem is absolutely crucial in ensuring free and fair upcoming elections.
This political reset has prompted major reforms in the digital regulatory framework, including through the Cyber Protection Ordinance, the Draft Personal Data Protection Ordinance, and amendments to the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulation Act. As currently drafted, they risk overbroad content takedowns, intrusive surveillance, weak transparency, and due process gaps that violate the right to freedom of expression and deny a resilient election information space.
Civil society actors continue to face attacks for exercising their right to freedom of expression and information. UN experts have criticised the ‘appalling and pervasive’ climate of impunity for egregious human rights violations against journalists and media workers in the country – from killings, to physical attacks, to harassment. Women – especially those that face multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination – face uniquely gendered risks. The protection of these groups is essential in ensuring democratic resilience and inclusive civic engagement.
This UPR mid-term report provides an update on the situation for the right to freedom of expression and information in Bangladesh, and analyses the level of implementation of recommendations received by the government during the fourth cycle of the UPR. It concludes with recommendations the government must implement in order to fulfill its UPR commitments, especially to ensure free and fair elections in 2026.
Signatories:
- ARTICLE 19
- ABALAMBAN
- Ajker Arban
- Badabon Sangho
- Bangladesh Disabled Development Trust (BDDT)
- Bikrampur Chitra
- Chandradip Development Society (CDS)
- Chayatal Bangladesh
- Chinnomul Manob Kallayan Society (CMKS)
- Community Welfare Foundation (CWF)
- DHRUBA
- Free Press Unlimited
- Noboprobhaat Foundation
- Proyas Manobik Unnayan Society
- com
- Samajik Unnayan Sangstha (SUS)
- The Daily Probaha