The profession of journalism has gone through a lot of upheaval in recent years, from the rise of social media, artificial intelligence to the world becoming an increasingly dangerous place to be a journalist in.
Yet, it is a dynamic field which is always evolving to meet the demands of the times.
“Journalism has evolved from traditional forms such as newspapers and news bulletins to more digitised platforms. Being a journalist demands being a multitasker to be able to adapt to this new world of information and technology. Despite being away from hardline journalism I still feel it is rewarding to bring forth content that caters to the readers’ interest,” said Mushfiqul Alam Opee, junior visualiser at The Business Standard.
Along with conveying information to people, journalists play an important role in uncovering various irregularities in the society through investigation which compels the relevant authorities to take appropriate action.
However, despite being the fourth estate of democracy, we lag behind in freedom of expression.
Scoring the lowest among South Asian countries in the World Press Freedom Index 2023, Bangladesh has little to celebrate on World Press Freedom Day today (3 May).
On this day every year the Reporters Without Borders (RSF), an international non-profit and non-governmental organisation focused on safeguarding the right to freedom of information, releases the World Press Freedom Index, where Bangladesh ranked 163 in 2023 among 180 countries, which are scored based on their press freedom records.
The report looked at the ability of journalists to publish news in the public interest without interference and without threats to their own safety.
From the index it is evident where Bangladesh stands in terms of press freedom. While journalists are burdened with the responsibility of being the eyes and ears of the public, their own voices are being stifled at times.
The current situation of Bangladesh invites questions like: Do we know what the future of journalism is in Bangladesh? And is it a dying profession?
Many public universities such as Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University, as well as many private universities, such as North South University, offer mass communication and journalism degrees to aid in creating future journalists.
In conversations with some current undergraduate students of Bangladesh’s top universities, the scene appears quite grim. While some admit that getting into the programme was a twist of fate, others revealed they have let go of the idea of being a journalist entirely despite being keen initially.
Tanjila Tasnim, a second-year student at Dhaka University, mentioned other than the subpar salary the profession provides— the gender discrimination she faced led her to consider a career in something other than journalism. Tasnim confessed that despite being aspired to do something potentially great in this profession, she faced immense uncooperativeness. She said, “Time and time again, before going on any assignment, I was reminded that I’m a girl and I can’t do this! I should hand over the task to one of my male colleagues.”
Sristy Sharma, a first-year student majoring in Mass Communication and Journalism at Chittagong University, says she regrets ending up in this department due to the public university admission process.
Though it is an interesting subject and offers many job prospects, she says she may change her profession, as she feels the journalism scene in Bangladesh is somewhat corrupt.
“Journalists must learn to earn respect through honesty, not by abusing power. Also, freedom of expression is needed. Authorities must not suppress journalism,” she said.
Imran Hasan Rafin, a second year Mass Communication and Journalism student at Dhaka University, also ended up in this department by chance.
While he acknowledges how technology may contribute to the advancements in this profession, he is also sceptical about staying on this track.
With laws like the Digital Security Act (presently known as Cyber Security Act) restricting journalistic practices in the country and numerous incidents of repression of journalists, it is only natural to grow a sense of fear and self-censorship.
However, that beats the purpose of journalism, which is to be fearless and uncover the various irregularities in the society through investigation.
Mizanur Rahman, a journalist working in Bangladesh First, emphasises the need for young, passionate journalists now more than ever. He pointed out that those who can leverage technology can reap the professional and financial benefits. Rahman alludes that “journalism holds immense power to shape public opinion and discourse in the current information-driven world.”
“Bangladesh is a country full of corruption, crime, money laundering, and irregularities. So, if we don’t come forward to address the matter, who will? If the passionate people don’t come forward to grab the steering and drive the sector in the right way, it might lead to further corruption,” he said.
The current predicament and the future of journalism seem shoddy in Bangladesh.
Fortunately, in this age and time, everything is only one tap away from mobile phone screens, and this generation loves engaging in social media. There is always room for independent journalism.
For the government’s part, the Right to Information Act of 2009 is a positive sign in empowering Bangladeshi citizens to seek information and stand up for themselves. Multiple initiatives have been taken to create training programmes for journalists on safety and investigative procedures.
Despite the threat of constant surveillance, online media offers a range of new routes for independent reporting, and this way is paving a path to better, safer, and liberal forms of freedom of expression.
Our writer Afra Anika Nawar Khan contributed to this report.