Bangladesh govt urged to halt draft media ordinances, leave it to elected govt

ARTICLE 19 has expressed concern over the interim government's ‘abrupt release’ of draft ordinances to establish a National Media Commission and a Broadcasting Commission, allowing only three days for public feedback.

This last-minute initiative, taken at the end of the interim government’s tenure, lacks transparency and due process and risks undermining freedom of expression in Bangladesh, it says in a statement.

ARTICLE 19, an international human rights organisation headquartered in London, called on the government of Bangladesh to stop the enactment of the draft ordinances and defer all decisions to the next elected government.

With Bangladesh set to form a new elected government after the 12 February national election, ARTICLE 19 urged the interim government to immediately halt the enactment process and leave such far-reaching decisions to the incoming administration with a fresh democratic mandate.

ARTICLE 19 promotes the freedom of expression movement, locally and globally, to ensure all people realise the power of their voices.

It sought a transparent, inclusive consultation process with journalists, editors, civil society and legal experts.

ARTICLE 19 called on the government of Bangladesh to guarantee that any future media regulator is fully independent and free from executive control.

It demanded to recognise freelance journalists under relevant laws and ensure equal protections, align all reforms with international human rights standards, including Article 19 of the ICCPR and ensure the safety and free movement of all journalists during the election period.

ARTICLE 19 said it stands with Bangladesh’s media community and urges the government to uphold transparency, independence, and human rights in all media-related reforms.

The draft National Media Commission Ordinance aims to establish a National Media Commission that, in all respects - its structure and status, responsibilities of commissioners, as well as its administrative and financial framework - would be kept under direct government control, heavily influenced by bureaucratic authority, said the organisation.

Such a design leaves the body exposed to political interference and falls far short of international human rights standards, including Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which requires media regulators to be independent, impartial, and free from executive control, it said.

“Beyond issues of structural independence, the ordinance contains additional shortcomings,” it said.

Notably, it excludes freelance journalists from the definition of ‘journalist’, thereby depriving a substantial segment of the media community of access to legal protections, accreditation, and safety measures, said ARTICLE 19, mentioning that such exclusion risks further undermining an already fragile media landscape.

The proposed Broadcasting Commission Ordinance mirrors these shortcomings, centralising state control rather than safeguarding pluralism or public-interest journalism.

ARTICLE 19 is particularly concerned that these rushed ordinances come nearly a year after the Bangladesh Media Reform Commission, which included recommendations for a National Media Commission, submitted its report on 22 March 2025.

The interim government took no meaningful action on these recommendations, and members of the Reform Commission have publicly expressed frustration, it said.

ARTICLE 19 said the government’s sudden urgency after months of inaction raises serious questions about motive and legitimacy.