As many as 45 journalists and “freelancers”, including four online
activists in Bangladesh, have so far been killed this year across the
globe, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).
Since 1992, at least 27 journalists and “freelancers” have been murdered in Bangladesh.
Of them, 19 lost their lives for their profession, said the CPJ on
the occasion of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against
Journalists observed yesterday.
In the last 23 years, the number of journalists killed across the
world was 1,149, shows the database of the New York-based organisation
that promotes press freedom.
It also says the motive behind the killing of eight of the 27 victims in Bangladesh could not be confirmed.
The names of the victims whose cases were identified as “motive
confirmed” include Niloy Neel (freelance, August 7, 2015), Ananta Bijoy
Das (freelance, May 12, 2015), Washiqur Rahman Babu (freelance, March
30, 2015), Avijit Roy (freelance, February 26, 2015), Sadrul Alam Nipul
of Dainik Mathabhanga (May 21, 2014, in Chuadanga), Ahmed Rajib Haider
(freelance, February 15, 2013), Jamal Uddin of Gramer Kagoj (June 15,
2012, in Kashipur), Gautam Das of Samakal (November 17, 2005), Sheikh
Belaluddin of Sangram, Kamal Hossain of Ajker Kagoj, Humayun Kabir of
Janmabhumi, Manik Saha of New Age, Shukur Hossain of Anirban, Harunur
Rashid of Dainik Purbanchal, Nahar Ali of Anirban, Shamsur Rahman of
Janakantha, Mir Illias Hossain of Dainik Bir Darpan, Saiful Alam Mukul
of Daily Runner and Mohammad Quamruzzaman of Neel Sagar (February 19,
1996 in Nilphamari).
The CPJ investigates the death of every journalist to determine if it
is related to his or her work. Its database does not include deaths
caused by accidents. It considers a case as “confirmed” only if it is
certain that a journalist was murdered in direct reprisal for his or her
work.
The organisation also reports that eight Bangladeshi journalists,
including much-talked-about journalist couple Meherun Runi of ATN Bangla
and Golam Mustafa Sarowar of Masranga TV, were killed since 1992, but
the motive behind the killings remained unconfirmed.
The others are Nurul Islam Faruqi of Channel i, Shah Alam Sagar of
Oporadh Domon, Diponkar Chakrabarty of Durjoy Bangla, Syed Farroque
Ahmed of Pubali Barta, Ahsan Ali, a freelancer, and SM Alauddin of
Ogrodoot.
If the motive behind the murder of a journalist remains unclear and
there is a possibility that the journalist was killed because of his or
her work, CPJ classifies it as “unconfirmed” and continues to
investigate.
It regularly reclassifies cases based on its ongoing research.
