Dhaka, Jan 22 (NationPress) The interim government of Bangladesh, led by Muhammad Yunus, has been criticized for its most disgraceful action by allowing anti-terror laws to be used for the arrest of journalists nationwide. This has resulted in several journalists facing pre-trial detentions lasting months on extraordinary and often outlandish charges, including murder, as reported on Thursday.

According to the Rights and Risks Analysis Group, an independent think tank based in New Delhi, by December 2025, the Yunus-led government had targeted 640 journalists through a combination of criminal charges, financial scrutiny, and acts of violence.

As reported by The Diplomat, journalist Anis Alamgir, who was arrested on December 14 of the previous year, is still awaiting trial, facing anti-terrorism charges for criticizing government policies on social media. Another journalist, Monjurul Alam Panna, faced similar charges for participating in a constitutional law discussion on August 28 of last year, which is widely recognized as a form of protected political expression.

Despite these allegations, Shafiqul Alam, the Press Secretary for Yunus, claimed there has not been “a single instance in which a journalist has been prosecuted for criticizing this government,” asserting, “you are free to write anything.”

“Weaponized legalism enables governments to misuse laws to criminalize journalism under the pretense of legal procedures. Unlike overt censorship, which garners international criticism, weaponized legalism functions through judicial systems and law enforcement—institutions that are meant to uphold press freedom,” the report elaborated.

“Bangladesh’s anti-terrorism laws exemplify this methodology. The Anti-Terrorism Act allows for indefinite detention without judicial oversight, custodial interrogations lasting up to 24 days, and sentences that can reach life imprisonment. Alarmingly, it defines terrorism as any act ‘intended to induce fear or insecurity in the public’ or ‘to destabilize’ governmental functions,” as noted in The Diplomat.

According to the report, Bangladeshi journalists are increasingly hesitant to speak out, citing concerns about their personal safety.

One newsroom head in Dhaka, speaking anonymously, expressed feeling “scared and unsafe” to criticize the government due to fears of mob violence, alleging that reporters are “deliberately self-censoring” their work “to survive.” The atmosphere of fear heightened in December, when mobs attacked and set fire to the offices of Bangladeshi newspapers The Daily Star and Prothom Alo, labeling them as pro-India and pro-Hasina, according to the country’s far-right factions.