Human Rights Support Society (HRSS), a human rights organisation, has condemned the shooting death of journalist Lutfuzzaman Alif Fakir in Durgapur of Netrokona, expressing deep concern and demanding a swift, impartial investigation and exemplary punishment for all those responsible.
 
In a statement issued on Saturday, HRSS Executive Director Ijazul Islam called for a thorough investigation, the identification and prosecution of everyone involved in the killing, and measures to ensure justice.
 
Alif was shot dead on Thursday night in the Telonjia area of Durgapur upazila. He had also sustained serious injuries in an attack by assailants on November 10, 2025.
 
Alif worked as the Netrokona correspondent for private IP television channel Ruposhi Bangla. He also ran a Facebook page named “Detective Article”, where he reportedly published investigative reports on local crime, drug trafficking, smuggling, corruption and other irregularities, according to media reports.
 
HRSS called for an independent investigation to establish whether the previous attack on Alif was connected to his killing.
 
The organisation said repeated attacks on a journalist, culminating in his death, represent not only an irreparable loss to his family but also a serious blow to press freedom, public safety, the rule of law and democratic accountability.
 
It stressed the need to examine what steps the relevant authorities had taken following the earlier attack, particularly if complaints had been lodged or requests for protection made. The investigation should also establish whether the authorities had received information about possible threats and, if so, whether adequate protective measures had been taken, HRSS said.
 
In its statement, HRSS referred to Article 32 of the Constitution of Bangladesh, which protects the right to life and personal liberty, and Article 39(2), which guarantees freedom of thought and expression and freedom of the press.
 
The organisation said that if Alif was targeted because of his professional work, the killing would pose a serious threat to the practical exercise of these constitutional rights.
 
HRSS also cited the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Article 3 recognises everyone's right to life, liberty and security of person; Article 8 provides for an effective remedy for violations of fundamental rights; and Article 19 protects freedom of opinion and expression, including the freedom to seek, receive and impart information.
 
Bangladesh is also a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Article 6 protects the inherent right to life, while Article 19 guarantees freedom of expression.
 
The organisation further referred to General Comment No. 34 of the UN Human Rights Committee, which underscores the need for effective and timely investigations into threats, intimidation, attacks and killings targeting journalists, as well as accountability for those responsible.
 
HRSS emphasised that holding perpetrators accountable is essential not only to deliver justice but also to protect journalists and media workers and preserve an environment in which they can report freely on matters of public interest.
 
Its demands include a prompt, impartial and professional investigation into Alif’s murder; the identification of the motive, planning and any possible masterminds or individuals who financed or facilitated the crime; and necessary security, legal and psychological support for the victim’s family, along with compensation and other assistance in accordance with applicable laws and policies.
 
The organisation also urged the authorities to take allegations of attacks, threats and harassment against journalists seriously, assess risks promptly and provide appropriate protection where necessary.
 
HRSS said independent journalism was not a privilege for any particular group but a cornerstone of the public’s right to know, the exposure of corruption and crime, and accountability in public and social life. Failure to ensure journalists’ safety, it warned, could embolden perpetrators and undermine the environment for reporting the truth in the public interest.
 
According to reports, Alif was shot at around 8:15pm on Thursday at Uttarail Bazar on the Shyamganj-Birishiri road in Durgapur municipality. He died at the scene.
 
A shopkeeper who witnessed the incident said Alif had left the tea stall after having tea but returned after realising that he had forgotten his mobile phone.
 
“As he was leaving with his phone, two young men came and asked me for cigarettes. They then shot him. I heard four consecutive gunshots. I was frightened and went home,” the shopkeeper said.
 
He estimated that the two assailants were between 30 and 35 years old. One was wearing a lungi and the other trousers, he said, adding that they fled when local residents approached the scene after the shooting. The shopkeeper believed the shots had been fired from close range.