Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus has been commended by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) for admitting that more than 140 journalists were falsely charged with murder as a result of rash judgments based on “old laws and practices.”

In order to preserve journalistic freedom in Bangladesh, RSF advised Dr. Yunus to accelerate structural reforms.

In an interview with The Daily Star on Wednesday, Yunus said that the charges were “hurriedly done” and assured that his government had “put an end to such actions.”

He announced plans to establish a committee to review the legitimacy of these cases, though no timeline has been set for the review process.

This statement offers hope for an end to the wave of retaliation against journalists, which has intensified since September, says RSF.

On the issue of the arbitrary revocation of 167 journalists’ accreditation cards, Yunus clarified that while the decision restricts their access to government buildings, it does not prevent them from continuing their work.

RSF welcomes Mohammad Yunus’ message to journalists: “We now have a significant opportunity to move past everything from the past. Let us not make the same mistakes again. We need to rebuild based on truth and learnings from past errors. If we make mistakes during this process, point them out to us. That’s why we value independent journalism. Your feedback helps us notice what we might otherwise miss.”