Farzana Rupa, former principal correspondent at Ekattor TV, has been held in detention since August 2024 and currently faces multiple murder cases in retaliation for her journalism.
Police arrested Rupa and Shakil Ahmed, Rupa’s husband and former head of news at the privately owned broadcaster, on August 21, 2024, at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, Bangladesh’s capital, as the couple attempted to travel to France. Officers also confiscated the couple’s cell phones and passports, a person familiar with the case told CPJ on the condition of anonymity, citing fear of reprisal.
The couple and Ekattor TV were known for their support of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted in August 2024 following mass protests that ended her 15-year rule. Dozens of journalists whose reporting was considered favorable toward Hasina’s government have since been targeted in criminal investigations. At least 25 journalists are under investigation for genocide by Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal — a charge that has been used to target figures linked to the former Hasina government.
Rupa received threats after she commented on and asked Hasina a question about the protests during a July 2024 press conference, the person familiar with the case said. Rupa and Ahmed were then dismissed from Ekattor TV on August 8, three days after Hasina fled Bangladesh.
At the time of their arrest, there were no charges against the couple, according to their family. Their names were later added to multiple murder cases, which the family describes as retaliatory and politically motivated. As of July 2025, Rupa was being investigated for accusations that she instigated nine murders during the protests — each filed in a different police station — while Ahmed is named in eight murder cases, including one registered as recently as April 2025.
“Every time we make a move, we get a new murder case,” said a family member on the condition of anonymity, citing fear of reprisal.
Prosecutors have argued that the couple instigated unrest through provocative statements in the media.
In July 2025, the family told CPJ that they have not received official documents for the last five cases, preventing them from filing for bail, and that lawyers have been told informally that these are political cases and bail applications will not be accepted.
As of July 2025, Rupa was being held in Kashimpur Central Jail — on the outskirts of the capital — while police investigate the murder allegations, the person familiar with the case said.
In late 2024, she was reportedly held for two weeks in a condemnation cell, typically used for death row prisoners, without access to books, clothing, or personal belongings.
Rupa suffers from arthritis but the court denied her access to the highest quality facilities, known colloquially as “division,” a category outlined under Bangladesh’s jail code intended to keep prisoners awaiting trial separate from convicted criminals, the person added.
The couple is allowed visits every 15 days, but in Rupa’s case, each visit requires special clearance from the police’s criminal investigation department, which the family describes as harassment. Since November 2024, they have not been allowed phone calls. Ahmed has a heart condition, and the family worries he could not reach them in an emergency.
In June 2025, authorities granted the couple four hours of parole to attend Rupa’s mother’s funeral, which they were taken to in handcuffs.
Police spokesperson Enamul Haque Sagor did not respond CPJ’s July 2025 email requesting comment.