SPECIAL REPORT: Government-Driven Media Blackout on JMBF-Originated News in Bangladesh

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The Special Report, “Government-Driven Media Blackout on JMBF-Originated News in Bangladesh,” published by JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), reviews evidence from July 2024 to August 2026 and documents an abrupt collapse in Bangladesh’s mainstream-media coverage of JMBF-originated news beginning in late October 2024, despite JMBF’s continued publication of human-rights statements, alerts, reports and urgent appeals. The evidence strongly indicates that the blackout began following direct and indirect instructions attributed to senior levels of the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, which mutually corroborating confidential sources reported were communicated through senior journalists, editors and media intermediaries. According to the evidence reviewed, the restriction was not withdrawn following the formation of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led government and continues under the present administration.

BANGLADESH ALERT: Politically Motivated ACC Wealth Proceedings Against Journalists Shakil Ahmed, Farzana Rupa and Munni Saha

Paris, France | 24 August 2026: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) expresses grave concern over proceedings initiated by Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) against journalists Shakil Ahmed, Farzana Rupa and Munni Saha, which JMBF considers part of a broader pattern of politically motivated and selective legal action against journalists in Bangladesh.

Charulata’s Suffocating Life: The Forced Marriage of a Lesbian Woman, Domestic Violence, and Bangladesh’s Invisible Reality

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Advocate Shahanur Islam

“Charulata” is not her real name. Her identity has been changed to protect her privacy and personal safety. But her experiences are real, and the issues reflected in her story are neither isolated incidents nor merely the private crisis of a single family. Rather, her suffocating life reflects the silent, invisible, and largely unacknowledged reality of countless lesbian women in Bangladesh who are compelled to conceal their sexual orientation while living under family pressure, forced or unwanted marriage, domestic violence, economic dependency, fear of losing their children, social humiliation, and insecurity.

URGENT APPEAL: Take Prompt Action Over Police Baton Charge on Madrasa Students at Brahmanbaria Police Lines

Paris, France | 21 August 2026: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) expresses grave concern over the reported police baton charge on students of Jamia Darul Arqam Al-Islamia Madrasa at the Brahmanbaria Police Lines on the night of 18 August 2026, reportedly leaving at least 23 madrasa students injured.

BANGLADESH ALERT: College Teacher Suspended and University Teachers and Officials Attacked for Paying Tribute on the Death Anniversary of Bangladesh’s Founding President

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Paris, France | 20 August 2026: France-based international human rights organization JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) expresses its deep concern, strong condemnation, and outrage over the suspension, without any show-cause notice, of Soheli Akter, Lecturer in the Department of Home Economics at Nandangachhi College in Rajshahi, for posting a tribute on her personal Facebook account on the death anniversary of Bangladesh’s first President and founding leader, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, as well as over the attacks, harassment, and threats against several teachers and officials of Islamic University and the vandalism of their offices and furniture in connection with similar Facebook posts.

BANGLADESH ALERT: Political Motivated Use of Crimes Against Humanity Proceedings Against Three Journalists

Paris, France | 19 August 2026: France-based international human rights organisation JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) expresses its grave concern and strongest condemnation over the move to implicate three prominent Bangladeshi journalists — Shyamal Dutta, Mozammel Haque Babu, and Farzana Rupa — in a crimes against humanity case reportedly arising from alleged statements and journalistic activities connected with the July 2024 uprising.

URGENT APPEAL: Call for Prompt Action Over Alleged Police Assault on Journalist After Filming Police Beating a Woman in Dhaka

Paris, France | 17 August 2026: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) expresses grave concern over the reported assault on Bulbul Hossain, a multimedia reporter for Global Television, allegedly by police officers inside a police van in Dhaka after he reportedly filmed police officers assaulting a woman near the Bijoy Sarani intersection.

OP-ED: Why Is the BNP Government So Afraid of Dhanmondi 32?

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Advocate Shahanur Islam

Is Dhanmondi 32 merely an address? A demolished house? Or is it such a powerful symbol of Bangladesh’s history, the Liberation War, political memory, and national identity that, although it may be physically destroyed, it cannot be erased from history? On 15 August, this question has once again emerged with even greater urgency: Why is the government so afraid of Dhanmondi 32?

BANGLADESH ALERT: Arbitrary Mass Arrest of 53 Awami League and Affiliated Organisation Leaders and Activists, Including Women, in Dhaka

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Paris, France | 14 August 2026: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), a France-based international human rights organisation, expresses its deep concern, strong condemnation, and protest over the arbitrary mass arrest, under the Anti-Terrorism Act, of 53 leaders and activists of the Bangladesh Awami League and its affiliated organisations from a residential building in the Bhatara area of Dhaka on the night of 13 August.

BANGLADESH ALERT: Mob Violence and Vandalism of Judge’s Chamber and Courtroom by Ruling-Party Activists at Chapainawabganj Court Premises

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Paris, France | 10 August 2026: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), a France-based international human rights organization, expresses its deep concern, strong condemnation, and protest over the demonstration, alleged formation of a mob, and vandalism of the glass doors of a judge’s private chamber and courtroom by activists of the current ruling party at the Chapainawabganj District and Sessions Judge Court premises on 9 August.

JMBF Statement on International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples 2026

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Paris, France | 9 August 2026: On the occasion of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples 2026, JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), a France-based international human rights organization, expresses its profound respect and solidarity with all Indigenous Peoples living in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) and the plains of Bangladesh.

JMBF President Raises Bangladesh Human Rights Crisis with Enabel CEO in Brussels

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Paris, France | 8 August 2026: Advocate Shahanur Islam, Founder and President of JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), raised concerns over the ongoing human rights crisis in Bangladesh and urged the Belgian Government and the European Union to take effective measures to ensure the protection of fundamental rights during a discussion with Mr. Jean Van Wetter, CEO of the Belgian Agency for International Cooperation (Enabel), on the sidelines of the EU-Wide Network Retreat, held in Brussels from 5–7 August 2026.

What Prevents Bangladesh’s Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from Speaking to the Media?

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Advocate Shahanur Islam

If we ask whether the change of power on 5 August 2024 brought any positive changes to media freedom and political culture in Bangladesh, the answer, in one word, is no. Rather, negative changes have been noticeable in many respects. Against this backdrop, a fundamental question has once again emerged in Bangladeshi politics: why is the current BNP-led government so concerned or uncomfortable about a former prime minister and the leader of one of the country’s largest political parties speaking to the media? Why has this discomfort resulted in an explicit prohibition on the dissemination and publication of the former prime minister’s statements, and even prompted the government to issue a statement expressing dissatisfaction and anger towards the Government of India?

BANGLADESH ALERT: JMBF Strongly Condemns over the Detention of Two Individuals on Allegations of Homosexuality at Dhaka University

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Paris, France | 01 August 2026: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), a France-based international human rights organisation, expresses deep concern, strong condemnation and protest over the detention of a residential student and an external young man on allegations of homosexuality at Masterda Surya Sen Hall of the University of Dhaka; the examination of their personal mobile phones; their handover to police; and the subsequent permanent expulsion of the student from the residential hall.

BANGLADESH ALERT: JMBF Expresses Deep Concern over Politically Motivated Punitive Measures Against Seven University of Dhaka Professors

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Paris, France | 31 July 2026: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) expresses its deep concern and strong condemnation over the decision of the Syndicate of the University of Dhaka, adopted on 30 July, to suspend three professors, including Professor Sadeka Halim, and to remove four other professors from their academic and administrative responsibilities.

BANGLADESH ALERT: JMBF Expresses Deep Concern over the Indictment of Four Writers, Journalists and Bloggers before the International Crimes Tribunal

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Paris, France | 30 July 2026: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), a France-registered independent, non-profit, non-partisan international human rights organization, expresses its deep concern and strongest condemnation over the politically motivated indictment of renowned writer and journalist Shahriar Kabir, journalist Mozammel Haque, journalist Farzana Rupa, and blogger Imran H. Sarker before Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal in connection with a case relating to the events that took place at Shapla Square in Dhaka in 2013.

JMBF President Highlights Bisexual Persecution in Bangladesh at the Bi+ World Conference in Amsterdam

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Paris, France | 28 July 2026: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF)'s Founder President, Advocate Shahanur Islam, delivered a featured presentation at the Bi+ World Conference 2026, held in Amsterdam, Netherlands, one of the world's largest gatherings celebrating LGBTQI+ diversity, inclusion, equality, and human rights.

BANGLADESH ALERT: JMBF Strongly Condemns the Brutal Murder of Lawyer Nizam Uddin Shanto in Bagerhat

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Paris, France | 25 July 2026: JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) expresses its deep concern, outrage, and unequivocal condemnation over the brutal murder of Advocate Nizam Uddin Shanto (42), a member of the Bagerhat District Bar Association, who was fatally stabbed by unidentified assailants after they intercepted him while he was returning home on his motorcycle in the Harikhali Tetultala area of Bagerhat town on the night of 24 July 2026.

URGENT APPEAL: Ensure an Immediate High-Level Independent Investigation and Appropriate Legal Action Regarding the Injury of a Female Apprentice Lawyer Allegedly Caused by a Judicial Magistrate in Gopalganj

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URGENT ACTION REQUESTED: Seeking an Independent Investigation and Accountability Regarding the Injury of a Female Apprentice Lawyer Allegedly Caused by a Judicial Magistrate in Gopalganj

Paris, France I 23 July 2026: JMBF urgently seeks your intervention regarding the reported injury of Ms. Sabiha Sultana, a female apprentice lawyer, who was allegedly struck on the head by a glass paperweight thrown by Judicial Magistrate Md. Sujon Miaduring court proceedings at the Judicial Magistrate Court-2 of the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Gopalganj, Bangladesh, on 22 July 2026.

URGENT APPEAL: Ensure Independent Investigation and Accountability for the Death of Mr. Asaduzzaman Asad in Bogura DB Police Custody

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URGENT ACTION REQUESTED: Seeking Independent Investigation and Accountability for the Death of Mr. Asaduzzaman Asad in Bogura DB Police Custody

Paris, France I 21July 2026: JMBF urgently seeks your intervention regarding the reported death of Mr. Asaduzzaman Asad (25) while in the custody of the District Detective Branch (DB) Police in Bogura, Bangladesh, on 19 July 2026, allegedly following torture in police custody.