'Don't come to the office': Bangladesh TV channel tells Naznin Munni after threats from radical extremists

Days after protesters, mobilised by the death of a prominent activist, set media offices on fire, a group of youths claiming to be members of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement issued threats against Global TV Bangladesh, according to authorities and the journalist concerned.

The group demanded the removal of the channel’s Head of News, Naznin Munni, following which the broadcaster asked her not to report to the office.

Naznin Munni, Head of News at Global TV Bangladesh, told CNN-News18 that “a group of young people threatened my organisation, demanding that I be sacked or they would burn our office. I don’t know why they are targeting me. After the threat, my office has asked me not to come in.”

The incident took place on December 21, when the youths went to the channel’s office in Tejgaon, Dhaka, and warned that the premises would be set on fire if Naznin Munni was not removed from her post. The threat referenced earlier attacks on Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, whose offices were vandalised and set ablaze on the night of December 18 in what authorities described as a terrorist attack.

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Naznin Munni later wrote in a Facebook post, “7–8 people came to my office in the name of the city unit of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and threatened that if I do not quit my job, they will set fire to the office like Prothom Alo–The Daily Star.” She told Prothom Alo that she believes the threat was part of a broader pattern of intimidation aimed at forcing her removal.

Movement leadership responds

The central president of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, Rashidul Islam, also known as Rifat Rashid, acknowledged that a member of the organisation’s city committee had gone to Global TV and submitted a memorandum demanding Munni’s removal. “A member of the city committee named Prithu went to Global TV with some boys without any directive from the central committee,” he said, adding that the memorandum did not mention arson. A show-cause notice has been issued to the member, and Rashid said, “We do not support any attack on the media. If Naznin Munni or Global TV files a complaint with us, we will expel him.”

Naznin Munni said she learnt of the threat only after returning to work the following day. She described how a group of youths met Global TV managing director Ahmed Hossain on the evening of December 21, initially raising concerns about coverage of the death of Shahid Sharif Osman Hadi before demanding her dismissal, accusing her of being an Awami League supporter. Quoting the managing director, she said the youths warned, “If Naznin Munni is not removed, we will set your office on fire as well, like Prothom Alo and The Daily Star.”

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She said the managing director refused to sign a written commitment to dismiss her within 48 hours, although one colleague present signed the document. Munni added that she had previously been forced to leave DBC Channel in June due to political pressure and said threats against journalists, including Jamuna TV’s Roksana Anjuman Nicole, reflected a sustained effort to intimidate the media.