On June 15, 2026, an article by editor Maruf Kamal Khan in the newspaper Amar Desh called for the establishment of an independent media commission to restore and strengthen press freedom in Bangladesh following the end of what he described as a fascist regime. The piece traced the historical suppression of journalism from the 1975 BAKSAL era to recent years, arguing that fear, greed, and political subservience had long undermined the media’s ability to resist authoritarianism.

The author recounted how successive governments, particularly under Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Sheikh Hasina, restricted press freedom through newspaper closures, arrests, and censorship. He contrasted these periods with what he termed the “golden era” of journalistic freedom under President Ziaur Rahman. The article emphasized that a free press is essential for democracy, accountability, and national reconstruction.

Khan urged the current democratic government, led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, to form a media commission headed by a former chief justice, including representatives from ministries, editors, unions, and the National Press Club. He also called for reviewing cases against journalists, reviving the Press Trust, and ensuring editors’ dignity and journalists’ safety.