27 murdered in 23 years

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.