Freedom of the Press Is a Fundamental Pillar of Multiparty Democracy: Tarique Rahman

Md. Al Masum Khan: June 16, 1975, marks a dark day in Bangladesh’s history. On this day, the then ruling regime abolished all political parties and enforced a highly authoritarian one-party system under BAKSAL, allowing only four government-aligned newspapers to operate. This silenced the nation and rendered numerous journalists jobless overnight, pushing their livelihoods and families into uncertainty and chaos.

The spirit of Bangladesh’s Liberation War was rooted in achieving not only territorial independence but also a democratic society. In a true democracy, citizens’ civil liberties are protected, most notably freedom of speech, thought, and expression. A free press enables the expression of dissenting voices, holds both state and society accountable, and ensures the reflection of the people’s will in the formation of government.

However, post-independence rulers betrayed the very spirit of the Liberation War by dismantling multiparty democracy and instituting the one-party BAKSAL system. It was the late President and Proclaimer of Independence, Shaheed Ziaur Rahman, who later reintroduced the long-awaited multiparty democracy in Bangladesh. He abolished all undemocratic BAKSAL-era laws and restored freedom of the press.

The suppression of press freedom is essentially the imprisonment of thought and conscience. Like her father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sheikh Hasina also followed the path of autocracy by reintroducing a one-party philosophy in a new form. Through various repressive laws, her regime continued its assault on journalists and the media. Freedom of the press in Bangladesh was systematically curtailed. Speaking the truth often invited state retaliation, and media workers across the country lived in constant fear. Draconian laws such as the Digital Security Act and the Cyber Security Act transformed freedom of expression into a prisoner within a fearful fortress.

Although the fall of the fascist regime on August 5 brought a partial restoration of media freedom, the influence of authoritarian forces over the press has yet to be fully eliminated.

Tarique Rahman further stated, I firmly believe that freedom of the press is a fundamental pillar of multiparty democracy. To safeguard and ensure the permanence of democracy, freedom of the press must be guaranteed.