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Published : 01 Jun 2026, 11:14 AM
Asked about the release of journalists arrested during the interim government, Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Saleh Shibly says that the government will not interfere in the judicial process.
He also said, “The judiciary will operate as it does and those who have been arrested will undoubtedly face their legal challenges and be released.”
“The government - the current democratic government - will not act as an obstacle. It will not stand in the way of anyone. That’s all I can say.”
Shibly, who is visiting the UK, met with Bangladeshi journalists at the London Bangla Press Club on Sunday and answered various questions from the journalists present.
At the event, bdnews24.com asked about claims of “fake murder cases and harassment” against a large number of journalists in Bangladesh, noting that if there are allegations against them, why are they not proceeding to trial?
In response, the prime minister's press secretary said: "The way those who have been detained, the way those who have been arrested - this government will not create any pressure on the judiciary out of any personal vendetta and will not restrain the judiciary."
He said, "Not a single journalist has been arrested during this government's tenure. Not a single journalist has been arrested during the tenure of the current democratic government.
A discussion was held in London on May 21 demanding the immediate release of all journalists arrested during the interim government, including Shyamal Dutta, Mozammel Haque Babu, and Farzana Rupa. A group of British journalists and rights activists raised this demand. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), an international organisation working to protect the rights of journalists, has reiterated demand several times before.
Shibly said, “Now, if you go to the honourable prime minister and ask him to release them, it means that you are interfering with the honourable prime minister as a journalist, saying, ‘Okay, you speak to the judiciary, and get them to release them.’
“...That means that anyone can raise such demands if they want to. I have also been asked this several times. This means that you want the prime minister to interfere with the judiciary, to say something to them.”
He said, “We don’t say anything because—what have all the journalists done? Why aren’t all the media outlets writing about them now? Who is stopping them? You can speak out! Anyone can write about the journalists you have named, what they did or did not do - let them write as they please. If they write, they can develop public support.”
Shibly said at the event, "And someone spoke about threats to the media. The first thing is that the government has just come in—it's been about 130 days. I think there are no complaints that anyone is being threatened or has been threatened, or that anyone has said anything.
"At least those who can make threats or make such comments – perhaps I could put in a word here or there, but I haven’t.”
