This chilling act of violence, captured on CCTV footage, is yet another stark reminder of the growing dangers journalists in Bangladesh face simply for carrying out their professional duties in the public interest, said RRT.
Quoting confirmed reports by leading media outlets, RRT said Asaduzzaman was recording on his mobile phone as a gang chased a man with locally-made weapons in the Chandana Chowrasta area of Gazipur city. When the assailants noticed him filming, they abandoned their original target and turned their weapons on him. They pursued him into a nearby tea stall, where they hacked him to death before fleeing the scene.
Preliminary police findings indicate that he was murdered solely for documenting the crime in progress, an act that speaks volumes about the climate of impunity emboldening violent actors to silence journalists without fear of consequence.
RRT adds that this was not a random attack, rather was a deliberate assault on press freedom, aimed at intimidating and silencing those who bear witness to crime, corruption, and human rights abuses. The fact that this incident occurred in a busy public area, at a time when shops and streets were still active, underscores the brazen disregard for the rule of law by criminal networks that operate with alarming confidence.
RRT extended its deepest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Asaduzzaman Tuhin. The tragic death is not only a personal loss to those who knew Asaduzzaman, but a devastating blow to the broader journalistic community in Bangladesh. Every attack on a journalist is an attack on the public’s right to know, to speak, and to hold power to account.
It also urgently called upon the government of Bangladesh, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Gazipur Metropolitan Police to take immediate and decisive action:
- Launch a transparent, impartial, and time-bound investigation into the killing, ensuring that all those responsible, including the masterminds and accomplices, are swiftly brought to justice.
- Guarantee protection for witnesses, including the colleague who was with Asaduzzaman, to prevent intimidation or retaliation during the investigation and trial.
- Establish and implement emergency safety protocols for journalists, especially those covering crime, corruption, and political issues, including rapid police response systems in high-risk areas.
RRT demanded justice for Asaduzzaman Tuhin and the safety for all journalists in Bangladesh.
Without accountability, there can be no press freedom; without press freedom, there can be no democracy, said RRT.
