Bangladesh: Journalist Shot Dead Ahead of Elections, PEC Seeks Thorough Probe

Amid mounting political unrest ahead of Bangladesh’s national elections scheduled for February 12, 2026, senior journalist Rana Pratap Bairagi was shot dead in a brutal attack, becoming the first journalist worldwide to be killed this year. The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), a global media safety and rights organisation, has strongly condemned the murder and demanded a comprehensive investigation to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice.

According to local media reports, Bairagi (45), editor of the Bengali daily Dainik BD Khabar, was fatally shot in the head by three assailants on January 5, 2026. His body was later found at Kopalia Bazar in southern Bangladesh’s Jessore district, with his throat also slit. He was a resident of Arua village in the Keshabpur upazila.

Bairagi, the son of a Hindu schoolteacher, was also engaged in business and operated an ice-making factory at Kopalia market. His killing has triggered widespread concern among journalist bodies and rights groups, particularly in the context of the prevailing political volatility in the country.

Condemning the incident, PEC president Blaise Lempen urged Nobel laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus, head of Bangladesh’s interim government, to take personal interest in ensuring justice for the bereaved family and safeguarding press freedom in the country.

PEC’s South and Southeast Asia representative, Nava Thakuria, noted that Bangladesh has recently drawn international attention due to socio-political turmoil, during which several religious minority families have reportedly been targeted by radical elements. He also pointed out that the killing of Bairagi follows a troubling pattern of violence against media professionals in the country.

In 2025 alone, Bangladesh witnessed the murders of five journalists — Assaduzzaman Tuhin (Dainik Pratidiner Kagoj), Bibhuranjan Sarkar (Ajker Patrika), Wahed-uz-Zaman Bulu (Dainik Ajker Kagoj), Khandahar Shah Alam (Dainik Matrijagat), and Imdadul Haque Milon (Bartaman Somoy).

The PEC reiterated its call on the Bangladeshi authorities to ensure the safety of journalists and uphold freedom of the press, warning that continued impunity for crimes against media professionals poses a grave threat to democracy and human rights.

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