Tuesday, May 21, 2024
Year : 2, Issue : 21
Generation Desk: Bangladesh also scored the second lowest among the South Asian countries, with only Afghanistan scoring lower
The people of Bangladesh are “in crisis” of freedom of speech and expression, said Article 19, a British human rights organisation in its latest report.
The Global Expression Report 2024 ranked Bangladesh 128th out of 161 countries in terms of freedom of expression, with a score of 12 out of 100. Countries getting between 0-19 are categorized as “in crisis”.
In its report last year, Article 19 gave Bangladesh a score of 13 out of 100 and ranked it 131st out of 161 countries.
The organization’s South Asia and Bangladesh Regional Director, Sheikh Manjur-E-Alam, presented the latest report at a hotel in the capital today (21 May). According to the report, Bangladesh scored the lowest in the category of ‘Journalists working without suppression’. From 2007, Bangladesh’s score in this category has been going down as well as its score in ‘self-censorship of the media’ category, the report said, adding that the trend has been going on for more than one and a half decades.
Bangladesh also scored the second lowest among the South Asian countries, with only Afghanistan scoring lower than Bangladesh.
The report said the state of freedom of expression in India and Afghanistan is “in crisis”. India scored 19 out of 100, and Afghanistan 2.
Nepal remained at the top position in South Asia, scoring 57 out of 100.
