The press in Bangladesh is under attack for reporting unpopular news. The Digital Security Act (DSA) is being used to silence the journalists and anybody else who talks badly about the government.
Media gets bullied in Bangladesh
The most popular form of news is TV according to BBC News. BTV is a state owned network and so is Betar-Radio Bangladesh. They provide coverage to viewers and listeners nationwide. "State owned BTV is the sole network with national terrestrial coverage. State radio covers almost the entire country. BBC World Service in English is heard on 100FM in Dhaka". Unlike TV and radio, the newspapers are not run by the state and are privately owned. They report in a way that isn't dictated by the state. "Newspapers are outspoken and privately-owned." Bloggers are literally taking their lives into their own hands by posting negative news about the government. According to BBC News "Some prominent bloggers who have written about Islamic fundamentalism have been murdered for their writing". These individuals lost their lives for just doing their jobs. Others were a little luckier, but were still punished for speaking out against the government. "Bloggers and social media users have been arrested on blasphemy-related charges."
Journalists pay the price for speaking their minds
According to Dhaka Tribune journalists are being arrested for reporting that makes the government look bad. The Digital Security Act lets the government put people in jail. One journalist, Mohammad Mahtab Uddin Talukder, was put in jail because the government said he was "spreading rumors" against Sunamganj MP Mouazzam Hossain Ratan. The government is punishing the journalists for talking badly about a politician on Facebook. "The plaintiff claimed that he had filed the case after seeing Mahtab's post on Facebook with the "intention of spreading rumours" against MP Ratan.
Digital Security Act gets the green light to harass media
An attack on the freedom of press is underway in Bangladesh and the Digital Security Act is to blame. Journalists have to live in fear of retaliation for reporting freely. According to Amnesty.org the government in Bangladesh had promised that there would be freedom of expression, but this law took any hope of that away. "The Act provides absolute power to the government's Digital Security Agency to initiate investigations into anyone whose activities are deemed harmful or a threat. The agency can also order the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission to remove or block any information or data on the internet." They have been given the green light to stop any person or group from reporting any news that would make the government look bad. According to Aljazeera, Didarul Bhuiyan was arrested for doing just that. His wife said "“He is innocent, who merely posted some write-ups on social media criticising the corruption in the relief distribution process". This man is spending time in jail for reporting the news.