Last Updated on February 8, 2026 11:00 pm by INDIAN AWAAZ
Zakir Hossain from Dhaka
Bangladesh Army personnel allegedly picked up 21 journalists and staff members of online news portal Bangladesh Times from its Dhaka office on Saturday night, before releasing them several hours later, the outlet and military officials confirmed.
According to Bangladesh Times editor-in-chief Sabbir Ahmed, journalists, office assistants, and security guards from the organisation’s day-shift newsroom in Nikunja-1 were taken away at around 8–9:30 pm by individuals wearing military uniforms who arrived in an army vehicle. Sabbir Ahmed said he was not present at the office at the time.
“I received a call via WhatsApp, and the caller told me that he was from Uttara Army Camp,” Sabbir Ahmed said. He said the caller referred to a video published by the portal showing a person speaking against the army during a protest by Inquilab Moncho in Dhaka on Friday, and advised the outlet not to publish such content.
A Facebook Live broadcast by Bangladesh Times editor later in the night expressed concern over the incident, particularly given its timing ahead of the February 12 national election. He said the newsroom expected to operate freely while maintaining professional responsibility. At around 11:30 pm, a live video streamed on the outlet’s Facebook page showed all 21 staff members returning to the office after being taken to the Uttara Army Camp.
Confirming the development earlier in the night, Major Fahad of the Uttara Army Camp said the journalists had been taken to the camp “for a discussion” and were released shortly afterward. He described the incident as “a small issue” and said no one was mistreated.
Lt Col Sami-ud-Daula Chowdhury, director of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Directorate, told journalists that the outlet had published a report related to the chief adviser Muhammad Yunus’ residence ‘Jamuna’ incident which he described as “provocative and unlawful.” With the election approaching, he said, the media must operate with responsible professionalism, adding that all those brought in were released and not mistreated.
The incident comes amid heightened concern over press freedom. In December 2025, the offices of leading newspapers The Daily Star and Prothom Alo were vandalised and set on fire, and senior journalist Nurul Kabir, editor of New Age and president of the Editors’ Council of Bangladesh, was assaulted while visiting the site in the presence of law enforcement agencies.
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) expressed strong concern over Saturday’s incident. Speaking at an event in Dhaka on Sunday, TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said the action had created an “atmosphere of fear” for the press. “Taking away all employees of an institution at night without any specific allegation is completely unacceptable,” he said. “Whatever the justification, this is an extremely negative and violent precedent for Bangladesh’s free journalism.”
He added that objections to news reports should be addressed through legal and institutional mechanisms, not “authoritarian” actions. Referring to recent attacks on media houses, he questioned the role of law enforcement agencies and whether such actions could be taken without approval from the highest authorities, raising concerns over command and control within the army. Iftekharuzzaman urged the army and other institutions to refrain from such activities and stressed the need to address growing pressure on free media in Bangladesh.