Dhaka, Dec 15 (NationPress) Legal actions were initiated against senior journalist Anis Alamgir after he was taken into custody by the Detective Branch (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) for questioning regarding "specific issues", according to local media reports on Monday.

This incident marks a troubling continuation of the suppression of press freedom in Bangladesh under the leadership of the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government.

Without providing specific details, DMP Additional Commissioner (DB), Shafikul Islam, confirmed late Sunday night that Anis Alamgir "failed to respond satisfactorily to certain issues during questioning", resulting in legal proceedings.

He noted that Alamgir was required to remain at the DB office overnight as the legal process unfolds, as reported by the Bangladeshi daily Dhaka Tribune.

Local media state that Alamgir was apprehended from the Dhanmondi area of the capital on Sunday evening.

In a conversation with the prominent Bengali daily Prothom Alo, Anis Alamgir mentioned, "I was detained at a gym in Dhanmondi. The DB indicated their chief would speak with me." However, the chief did not engage with him.

Alamgir, who has previously worked with various media outlets such as the Bangladeshi daily Ajker Kagoj, has recently gained attention for his comments on television talk shows.

This occurrence is part of a broader trend of increasing violence against journalists in Bangladesh, raising serious alarms regarding press freedom.

Just last week, another journalist faced an assault while reporting on the shooting of Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, spokesperson for the radical activist platform, Inqilab Mancha.

The event took place on December 12 as Risan was gathering information at Dhaka Medical College Hospital about Hadi's shooting, when supporters of the student-turned-politician attacked him, as reported by local media.

Previously, in July, a coalition of 88 expatriate journalists, writers, researchers, cultural figures, and rights activists voiced significant concerns about the "ongoing torture of journalists and suppression of free speech" in Bangladesh under the Yunus-led interim government.

Earlier this month, several notable international experts expressed serious worries over the deteriorating human rights climate in Bangladesh, highlighting a rise in abuses and the usage of "false and fabricated cases" for political retribution.

The Canada-based think tank, Global Centre for Democratic Governance (GCDG), held a virtual seminar titled "Bangladesh in Crisis: Human Rights, Justice, and the Future of Democracy" where experts shared their evaluations.

During the seminar, Charlotte Jacquemert, Editor of Public Radio of Switzerland, noted that 195 criminal cases were filed against journalists between August 2024 and July 2025 under the Yunus-led interim government, reflecting a staggering 550 percent increase compared to the previous year.

She also indicated that 878 journalists experienced various forms of harassment during the same duration. Jacquemart urged the withdrawal of all fabricated cases against journalists and the immediate release of those detained, according to a press release from GCDG following the seminar.