A group of young men allegedly threatened the management of Global TV Bangladesh, demanding the removal of Head of News Naznin Munni from her position. The individuals introduced themselves as members of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement. The organisation’s president, Rifat Rashid, has acknowledged that one of their members went to the television channel’s office to submit a memorandum on the issue and said disciplinary action would be taken.

According to reports, on December 21 the group visited Global TV’s office in Tejgaon, Dhaka, and warned that if Naznin Munni was not dismissed, the office would face an arson attack similar to those carried out earlier at the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star. On the night of December 18, those two media outlets were vandalised and set on fire during violent attacks.

Naznin Munni currently serves as Head of News at Global TV Bangladesh, a role she assumed in July this year. Prior to that, she worked as an assignment editor at DBC News. In a Facebook post addressing the threat, she wrote that seven or eight individuals came to her office claiming to represent the metropolitan unit of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and warned that the office would be burned down if she did not leave her job.

Speaking to journalists, Naznin Munni said she believes the threat is part of a broader pattern of intimidation targeting the media, aimed at forcing her removal from her position.

The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement played a leading role in last year’s July–August uprising. Later, on February 28, a new political party—the National Citizen Party (NCP)—was launched through a joint initiative of this platform and the National Citizen Committee. For several months afterward, the student movement was largely inactive in public, although various negative incidents were reported using its name. In this context, a new committee of the movement was formed through voting on June 25.

When contacted about the incident, the organisation’s central president, Rashidul Islam (Rifat Rashid), said that a metropolitan committee member named Prithu had gone to Global TV with several others without central approval. He stated that the individual submitted a memorandum demanding Naznin Munni’s removal, labeling her an ally of “fascism,” but claimed the document did not mention any threat of arson. He added that the member had been issued a show-cause notice and emphasized that the organisation does not support attacks on the media. He said the member would be expelled if a formal complaint were lodged by Naznin Munni or Global TV.

Naznin Munni said the incident took place on Sunday, December 21, though she learned about it only the following day when she returned to the office. She explained that after finishing a meeting with reporters in the evening, she left the office around 8:00 pm to meet a friend at a restaurant in Gulshan. Shortly afterward, a group of seven or eight young men arrived at the office. Before coming, they had contacted the channel’s Managing Director (MD), Ahmed Hossain, by phone, introducing themselves as members of the movement’s metropolitan committee, without clearly stating their purpose.

According to Naznin Munni, the group first criticised the channel’s coverage of the shooting death of Inqilab Mancha spokesperson Shahid Sharif Osman Hadi. They then questioned why she was employed at the channel, alleging that she was affiliated with the Awami League and insisting she be removed.

She said the MD responded that Naznin Munni had been hired after due consideration and had no political affiliation with the Awami League. However, the group reportedly insisted that their demand must be followed and warned that failure to remove her would result in the office being set on fire, just as had happened to Prothom Alo and The Daily Star.

Naznin Munni further alleged that the group presented a document and demanded a signature pledging to dismiss her within 48 hours. The MD refused to sign it. The group then allegedly declared that their demands would be enforced regardless, claiming that even major newspapers had been unable to resist them. While the MD declined to sign, a colleague present reportedly did so.

She also said that after the incident, the office authorities advised her to remain silent and asked her not to come to work for several days. Despite this, she chose to speak publicly. “Repeated threats every few days are unacceptable,” she said, noting that other journalists, including a Jamuna TV editor, had faced similar intimidation. She added that she had previously been forced to leave DBC News in June due to political pressure and has repeatedly challenged her accusers to prove any political affiliation, which they have failed to do.

Naznin Munni described the incident as part of an ongoing campaign to frighten the media into silence. “A certain group is trying to intimidate journalists through continuous attacks. They do not want people who can influence public opinion to remain in the media,” she said.

When contacted for comment, Global TV Bangladesh Managing Director Ahmed Hossain declined to respond to questions regarding the alleged threats, stating that he did not wish to make any comment.