# Journalists beaten in Bangladesh in separate incidents as interim government drafts new cyber laws

Published 2026-09-22. Last reviewed 2026-09-22. 1 source.

Status: in effect, as of 2026-09-22.

On a single day in February 2025, groups of men beat at least eight journalists in two separate incidents in rural Bangladesh while they investigated a medical-negligence tip and a land dispute; the incidents came as the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus drafted new cyber ordinances rights groups said could add legal risk on top of the physical one.[1]

- Country: [Bangladesh](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/bd) (RSF 2026 rank: 152nd of 180)
- Where: BD
- Level of government: National
- Tactics: Detention and violence, Surveillance and subpoenas
- Stage: Punish (ladder: https://thewaronnews.com/ladders/detention_and_violence#stage-punish)
- Head of government at the time: [Muhammad Yunus](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/muhammad-yunus)
- Issue of the day: The incidents occurred six months into the interim government that took power after Sheikh Hasina's government fell in August 2024, a period in which press-freedom groups said journalists faced both continued street violence and new draft cyber-security legislation.
- Outcome: Ongoing. No arrests were reported in the incidents described, and the proposed cyber ordinances remained under review.
- Era: The 2020s

## What happened

On February 3, 2025, ten to twelve men beat Samakal correspondent Shohag Khan Sujon with a hammer and knife while he investigated allegations of medical negligence in Shariatpur district, and four other journalists who intervened were also beaten. The same day, in Laxmipur district, four correspondents covering a land dispute were beaten with bamboo sticks by a separate group that also fired guns, wounding one journalist with shrapnel. Days earlier, British freelance journalist Shafiur Rahman received threatening emails after publishing an article about a government security meeting, warning him to "stop or suffer the consequences." The Committee to Protect Journalists said the interim government's draft Cyber Protection Ordinance and Personal Data Protection Ordinance, introduced in January 2025, risked giving authorities broad new power over online content and user data on top of the continuing physical violence journalists faced covering local disputes.[1][2][3]

## What reason was given

No government official offered a public justification for the beatings, which were carried out by private individuals; the interim government described its draft cyber ordinances as necessary data-protection and security measures.[1][2][3]

## What changed for reporting

Reporters covering local corruption and land disputes in rural Bangladesh faced serious physical violence in a single day, while a freelance journalist covering national-security matters received written threats, illustrating the range of pressure facing the press during the political transition.[2]

## Timeline

- 2025-02-03: Journalists beaten in Bangladesh in separate incidents as interim government drafts new cyber laws

## Who acted

| Name | Role in this incident | Office at the time |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Muhammad Yunus](https://thewaronnews.com/actors/muhammad-yunus) | other | Chief Adviser, interim government of Bangladesh |

## Sources

1. Bangladesh journalists face threats from attacks, investigations, and looming cyber laws. https://cpj.org/2025/02/bangladesh-journalists-face-threats-from-attacks-investigations-and-looming-cyber-laws/ (Committee to Protect Journalists, 2025-02-18).

## Claims cited

[1] A freelance journalist received threatening emails warning him to stop his reporting or face consequences. Quote: "back off before it's too late" Source: Committee to Protect Journalists, 2025-02-18. Bangladesh journalists face threats from attacks, investigations, and looming cyber laws. https://cpj.org/2025/02/bangladesh-journalists-face-threats-from-attacks-investigations-and-looming-cyber-laws/ Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/455, checked 2026-09-22.

[2] CPJ's Asia coordinator said democracy could not flourish without robust journalism and called for legal protection of the press. Quote: "Democracy cannot flourish without robust journalism" Source: Committee to Protect Journalists, 2025-02-18. Bangladesh journalists face threats from attacks, investigations, and looming cyber laws. https://cpj.org/2025/02/bangladesh-journalists-face-threats-from-attacks-investigations-and-looming-cyber-laws/ Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/456, checked 2026-09-22.

[3] CPJ urged Bangladesh's authorities to amend the proposed cyber ordinances so they would not undermine press freedom. Quote: "amend proposed laws that could undermine press freedom." Source: Committee to Protect Journalists, 2025-02-18. Bangladesh journalists face threats from attacks, investigations, and looming cyber laws. https://cpj.org/2025/02/bangladesh-journalists-face-threats-from-attacks-investigations-and-looming-cyber-laws/ Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/457, checked 2026-09-22.

Source page: https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2025-bangladesh-journalists-attacked-interim-government. The War On News, CC BY 4.0.