On August 21, 2024, at 07:40 PM IST, two prominent Bangladeshi television journalists, Shakil Ahmed and his wife Farzana Rupa, were arrested at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka. The couple, who were attempting to travel abroad, were taken into custody by immigration officials and handed over to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s detective branch. The reason for their arrest was on charges of murder, as stated by the police.
Shakil Ahmed, the former chief news editor of Ekattor Television, and his wife Farzana Rupa, the former principal correspondent and presenter at the same channel, were identified as the arrested journalists. The details of the murder case they were allegedly involved in were not disclosed by the police at the time of their arrest.
The timing of their arrest coincided with the aftermath of former premier Sheikh Hasina stepping down from her position on August 5. Following her resignation, Ahmed and Rupa were relieved from their positions at Ekattor Television. Sheikh Hasina’s departure from office came after weeks of student-led protests in Bangladesh, during which over 600 people, mainly students, were reported to have been killed by law enforcement personnel.
In the wake of Sheikh Hasina’s resignation, an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was established on August 8. Since then, a wave of criminal cases has been filed across the country against individuals associated with Hasina, her ministers, Awami League leaders, police and military officers, and those perceived to be aligned with the former premier and her party.
The arrest of Shakil Ahmed and Farzana Rupa on murder charges has sent shockwaves through the Bangladeshi media industry and raised concerns about press freedom in the country. The incident has also highlighted the political turmoil and legal challenges facing Bangladesh in the aftermath of Sheikh Hasina’s resignation.
As the case unfolds, the public awaits further information on the specifics of the murder charges against the journalist couple and the implications it may have on the media landscape and political climate in Bangladesh. The arrest serves as a reminder of the complex and often precarious nature of journalism in countries where press freedom is under threat.