Death Threats to Journalists: Strangling Democracy

In Joypurhat, a teacher reportedly threatened journalists with death in broad daylight. Teachers are usually regarded as symbols of morality. Yet here, the role has reversed—becoming a source of fear and intimidation. This is not an isolated incident, but rather part of a continuing policy of suppressing press freedom.

Journalists in Bangladesh work daily under severe risks: frivolous lawsuits, political pressure, administrative harassment, and even physical assault. If journalism is the mirror of society, then breaking that mirror is tantamount to breaking democracy itself.

The true measure of a society’s civility and democracy lies in the freedom of its press. When journalists are forced to work under fear, intimidation, and misuse of law, the voice of the people is stifled. Thus, this threat is not merely against a few journalists—it is an assault on society’s collective freedom of expression.

Livelihood at Sea: Fishermen’s Arrests and the Struggle to Survive

Along the coasts of Teknaf and Saint Martin, the Coast Guard arrested 122 fishermen and seized 19 boats, accusing them of crossing into Myanmar’s waters. To dismiss this as just a law-and-order issue would be a mistake; it is the symptom of a much deeper socio-economic crisis.

Millions of coastal fishermen in Bangladesh live in poverty. Fish stocks in the Bay of Bengal are steadily depleting—due to overfishing, industrial pollution, and climate change. As a result, fishermen are forced to venture further, risking their lives by entering foreign waters.

This is essentially a struggle for survival. On one side stands state law; on the other, the hunger of empty stomachs. It is easy to criminalize fishermen, but far harder to address the root causes of their plight. Without alternative livelihoods, easy access to credit, fair prices for fish, and a sustainable maritime policy, such incidents will continue. The arrests are not just a crime report—they are a reflection of the crisis in agrarian economy and rural survival.

Border Economy: Land Port Closures and People’s Daily Struggle

The government has shut down three land ports with India, reportedly for reasons of national security or diplomatic considerations. Yet the immediate impact falls on ordinary border residents.

Border trade is a vital engine of the rural economy. Small traders, transport workers, and daily wage earners all depend on these ports. When ports are closed, their income vanishes. This is not just a matter of lost business—it pushes thousands of families into uncertainty.

Here lies the critical question: can the state take decisions only on the grounds of security, or must it also safeguard people’s livelihoods? When the border economy collapses, border residents are pushed into poverty, unemployment, and sometimes crime. The government has a responsibility to create alternatives—through agriculture, cottage industries, handicrafts, or even border-based special economic zones.

Conclusion: A Three-Dimensional Crisis

Today’s three news stories reveal three interlinked crises:

1.⁠ ⁠Democratic Crisis – insecurity of journalists and the assault on freedom of expression.

2.⁠ ⁠Economic Crisis – the precarious livelihoods of fishermen amid depleting marine resources.

3.⁠ ⁠Geo-political & Social Crisis– uncertainty in border economies and the absence of alternative employment.

These are not isolated issues, but reflections of a larger structural crisis. When the state fails to protect citizens’ voices, when people are forced across borders in search of livelihood, and when border residents are left without security, it is clear that Bangladesh faces not just small challenges but a deep national crisis.

Bangladesh today stands at a crossroads. What is needed is not just political rhetoric, but real reform. Ensuring journalists’ safety, creating sustainable livelihoods for fishermen, and building alternative employment for border residents are not acts of charity—they are fundamental duties of the state.

Today’s headlines remind us once again: news is not just information. News is the mirror of society. And in that mirror, we now see a Bangladesh in crisis.

Badrul Alam
30 August 2025
Dhaka