Dhaka: Recent reports indicate that YouTube has imposed restrictions on six Bangladeshi television channels within India, following a request from the Indian government that cited national security and public order concerns.
The channels affected include Jamuna TV, Ekattor TV, DBC News, Somoy TV, BanglaVision News, and Mohona TV. While four of these channels were blocked on Friday, the remaining two, DBC News and Somoy TV, were added to the list on Saturday.
Geo-blocking is a method that limits online content based on the user's geographical location. In this case, these Bangladeshi news channels remain accessible worldwide, except in India.
This isn't the first time the Indian government has taken such measures; similar actions have been directed at Pakistani YouTube channels accused of disseminating provocative or misleading information.
In a related context, the Bangladeshi media landscape is currently experiencing significant repression under the Interim Government led by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus. Reports reveal that 640 journalists have faced various forms of targeting in the first eight months of this administration, from August 2024 to March 2025. This includes criminal charges against 182 journalists, violence against 206, denial of accreditation for 167, and investigations into 85 senior journalists by the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit and anti-terrorism units.
Analysts suggest that the media in Bangladesh has been effectively silenced under Yunus's leadership, with journalists being dismissed from their positions at the behest of the Anti-Discrimination Students Movement, which has emerged as a powerful influence.
Led by Hasnat Abdullah, activists from this movement have not only attacked independent newspapers but have also intruded into television stations, coercing owners to terminate journalists without justification due to threats from student protesters.
Suhas Chakma, Director of the Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG), commented on the unprecedented suppression of press freedom in Bangladesh, stating that journalists now operate in an atmosphere of fear, unable to report critically on the Interim Government. He noted that journalists, alongside Awami League activists, face severe risks under Dr. Yunus's administration, which is allegedly targeting the 'truth-tellers' of the nation.
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