Quick Response Support team formed for safety of journos

FE REPORT

A Quick Response Support (QRS) Team has been formed to strengthen mechanisms for the safety and protection of journalists in Bangladesh, amid growing risks in an increasingly complex digital and political environment.

The initiative was discussed at a meeting held on Saturday at a hotel in Dhaka, organised by the rights-based research and advocacy organisation VOICE.

Journalists, academicians, lawyers and human rights activists participated in the discussion as members of the newly formed QRS Team.

Participants highlighted that escalating harassment, intimidation, censorship, politically motivated and vexatious legal actions, and physical threats continue to undermine the safety and security of media professionals across the country.

They stressed the urgent need for better coordination among stakeholders and a comprehensive assessment of the current state of journalist safety.

Speaking at the meeting, Ahmed Swapan Mahmud, Executive Director of VOICE, said that the safety of media professionals became a matter of serious concern, as journalists are often required to work on the frontlines of information gathering, exposing them to heightened risks. He noted a recent rise in targeted attacks and assaults against journalists and called for stricter enforcement of law to prevent such incidents.

Musharrat Mahera, Deputy Director (Programmes) of VOICE, presented an overview of the initiative, attributing the fragile human rights situation to weak legal frameworks and a fragile justice system.

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