Netra News

Netra News is run by a grant provided by the National Endowment for Democracy,{{Cite web|url=https://cpj.org/2020/01/bangladesh-blocks-sweden-based-news-website-netra-.php|title=Bangladesh blocks Sweden-based news website Netra News|website=cpj.org|language=en|access-date=2020-04-08}}{{Cite web |date=2019-12-25 |title=Netra News |url=https://netra.news/about/ |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=Netra News — নেত্র নিউজ |language=en}} a non-governmental and non-profit organization funded by the U.S. government.

It is a project under Bangladesh Media Network, which is overseen by a board comprising Kerstin Brunnberg (president), a prominent Swedish journalist, Bangladeshi-Australian academic Bina D’Costa (secretary), and Dan Morrison (treasurer), an American journalist.{{Cite web |url=https://netra.news/about |title=ABOUT |website=Netra News |language=en-US |access-date=2020-04-08}}

Published in both English and Bangla, the platform was co-founded by David Bergman, a journalist who has extensively worked in Bangladesh, who works as the editor of its English version. Israt Jahan, a Bangladeshi journalist based in Sweden, has joined the news organization on November 1, 2020 as the editor of its Bangla edition.{{Cite web |date=2020-11-20 |script-title=bn:নেত্র নিউজের বাংলা সংস্করণের সম্পাদক ইসরাত জাহান |url=https://medium.com/netranews/%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%89%E0%A6%9C%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%82%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%82%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%A3%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%95-%E0%A6%87%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A4-%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8-d6ed98a80f60 |access-date=2021-07-08 |website=Netra News |language=bn}}

The website, in its opening editorial, stated that it decided not to name any other journalists associated with it, citing “security concerns.”{{Cite web |url=https://netra.news/2019/journalism-on-behalf-of-the-people-433 |title=Journalism in the public interest |date=2019-12-26 |website=Netra News |language=en-US |access-date=2020-04-08}}

Some of Netra News reports created a lot of noise in Bangladesh. The news outlet has investigated top ministers, close aides and relatives of the prime minister Sheikh Hasina and came up with groundbreaking stories.

Netra News unearthed the story of how Bangladesh's top minister and the second in line of Awami League Obaidul Quader took some of the most expensive watches that cost tens of thousands of USD in lieu of awarding lucrative road and highway contracts.{{Cite web |date=2019-12-26 |title=A wrist of luxury |url=https://netra.news/2019/a-wrist-of-luxury/ |access-date=2023-04-28 |website=Netra News — নেত্র নিউজ |language=en}} Obaidul Quader later admitted to holding the pricey wristwatches mentioned in the media story, claiming that they were gifts from Awami League fans and leaders.{{Cite news |date=2020-01-09|title=Luxury watches are gifts from Awami League activists, Obaidul Quader says|url=https://bdnews24.com/politics/luxury-watches-are-gifts-from-awami-league-activists-obaidul-quader-says|access-date=2022-03-17|work=BDNews24|language=en}} In an interview with Voice of America in April 2023, he admitted to having a large collection of wristwatches and accepting pricey gifts from party supporters.{{Cite news |date=2023-04-09|title=আমি নিজের পয়সায় ঘড়ি কিনি না, এত টাকা দিয়ে ঘড়ি কেনা আমার পক্ষে সম্ভব নাঃ ওবায়দুল কাদের|url=https://www.voabangla.com/a/7041233.html|access-date=2023-04-09|work=Voice of America|language=bn}}

However, the claim that Obaidul Quader received expensive gifts suggests that he violated the Toshakhana (Maintenance and Administrative) Rules 1974. Section 4(b) of the guidelines states that ministers may accept gifts of up to 30,000 Bangladeshi takas (equal to USD 300) without turning them over to the government treasury. The Bangladesh chapter of Transparency International questioned his purchase of pricey wristwatches.{{Cite news |date=2020-01-09|title=Toshakhana (Maintenance and Administrative) Rules 1974|url=https://cabinet.portal.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/cabinet.portal.gov.bd/legislative_information/e7685614_58e8_41af_a09e_75a36bc2c68c/Toshakhana%20Book.pdf|access-date=2022-03-17|work=Cabinet Division|language=en}}

The news outlet blew the lid of a secret prison maintained by the Director General of Forces Intelligence named Aynaghar or Mirror House. Two former inmates of the secret prison publicly came out and shared their experience in the report.{{Cite web |date=2022-08-14 |title=Secret prisoners of Dhaka |url=https://netra.news/2022/secret-prisoners-of-dhaka/ |access-date=2023-04-28 |website=Netra News — নেত্র নিউজ |language=en}}

As one of its first reports, the website ran a story{{Cite web |url=https://netra.news/2019/a-wrist-of-luxury-517 |title=A wrist of luxury |date=2019-12-26 |website=Netra News |language=en-US |access-date=2020-04-08}} alleging that Obaidul Quader, the general secretary of the ruling Awami League party and a cabinet minister, had a collection of luxury watches from brands including Rolex, Louis Vuitton, and Ulysse Nardin, the price of which was not consistent with his publicly disclosed income. The website was blocked days after the story had been published.{{Cite web |url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/01/08/bangladesh-online-surveillance-control |title=Bangladesh: Online Surveillance, Control |date=2020-01-08 |website=Human Rights Watch |language=en |access-date=2020-04-08}}

In the wake of the ban, the website launched a mirror version based in Google Cloud Firebase Storage, which was also blocked by authorities only to be forced to lift the ban following complaints from app developers who relied on the Google service.{{Cite web|url=http://www.humanrights.asia/news/ahrc-news/AHRC-STM-001-2020/|title=BANGLADESH: Muzzling press freedom triggering risks on livelihood of Information Technology professionals|website=Asian Human Rights Commission|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-08}}

However, the mirror site was blocked again following the publication of a report based on a leaked United Nations memo forecasting up to 2 million deaths in Bangladesh in the COVID-19 crisis in a "no-intervention" scenario.{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/newsnetra/posts/144814063695994|title=Netra News|website=Facebook|language=en|access-date=2020-04-08}} The website of Benar News, a Malaysia-based news agency, was also blocked in Bangladesh following its publication of the story quoting Netra News.{{Cite web|url=https://www.benarnews.org/english/news/bengali/blocked-update-04032020120938.html|title=Bangladesh Govt Acknowledges Blocking BenarNews Websites|website=BenarNews|language=en|access-date=2020-04-08}}

The Obaidul Quader exposé triggered a call for investigations from Transparency International Bangladesh,{{Cite news |url=https://en.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/TIB-asks-why-minister-did-not-deposit-costly|title=TIB asks why minister did not deposit costly watches with the state|work=Prothom Alo|language=en|access-date=2020-04-08}} an anti-graft watchdog. The minister subsequently claimed that he had received the watches as gifts.{{Cite web|url=https://www.benarnews.org/english/news/bengali/bangladesh-media-01092020181821.html|title=Watch Out: Bangladeshi Minister Comments on His Published Photos with Fancy-looking Timepieces|website=BenarNews|language=en|access-date=2020-04-08}}

In January 2020, Netra News published [https://netra.news/2020/undisclosed-business-tabith-awals-company-in-singapore-705 a report] accusing Tabith Awal, a candidate of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party in Dhaka mayoral elections, of failing to "disclose ownership of a foreign company in his affidavit to the Election Commission of Bangladesh."{{Cite news |url=https://bdnews24.com/politics/2020/01/21/tabith-keeps-his-mouth-shut-on-reportedly-undisclosed-company-in-singapore|title=Tabith keeps his mouth shut on reportedly undisclosed company in Singapore|work=bdnews24.com|access-date=2020-04-08}} Following the publication of the report, AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik, a controversial justice of Supreme Court of Bangladesh, filed a petition to the high court challenging Awal’s candidacy.{{Cite news|url=https://www.daily-sun.com/post/456430/Former-SC-Justice-Manik-demands-cancellation-of-Tabith-Awal’s-candidacy|title=Former SC Justice Manik demands cancellation of Tabith Awal's candidacy|work=Daily Sun|language=en|access-date=2020-04-08}} However, the high court rejected the petition and allowed Awal to contest in the election.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/city/tabith-awal-mayoral-candidacy-high-court-rejects-petition-1859731|title=HC rejects petition seeking cancellation of Tabith's candidacy|date=2020-01-27|work=The Daily Star|language=en|access-date=2020-04-08}}

On March 21, 2020, Netra News [https://netra.news/2020/covid-19-without-government-action-over-500000-may-die-in-bangladesh-868 published] a leaked preliminary research report prepared by a group of Bangladeshi and U.S.-based researchers led by Malay Kanti Mridha of BRAC University predicting that Bangladesh faced up to 500,000 deaths in the COVID-19 crisis without any government interventions. The story led the university to launch an internal investigation against Mridha,{{Cite news |url=https://www.liberation.fr/planete/2020/04/02/coronavirus-le-bangladesh-censure-les-lanceurs-d-alerte_1783942 |title=Coronavirus : le Bangladesh censure les lanceurs d'alerte |last=Defranoux |first=Laurence |date=2020-04-02 |work=Libération |language=fr |access-date=2020-04-08}} a move that was condemned by academic freedom activists.{{Cite web |url=https://netra.news/2020/researcher-in-trouble-for-co-authoring-bangladesh-covid-19-projections-884 |title=Researcher in trouble for co-authoring Bangladesh Covid-19 projections |date=2020-03-22 |website=Netra News — নেত্র নিউজ |language=en-US |access-date=2020-04-08}} The website also subsequently accused the university of “[attempting] to restrict access” to the report by forcing document hosting website Scribd to remove it on copyright grounds from the latter’s website despite having previously claimed that it had not authorized the report.{{Cite web |url=https://netra.news/2020/brac-university-attempts-to-restrict-access-to-bangladesh-covid-19-report-903 |title=Brac University attempts to restrict access to Bangladesh Covid-19 report |date=2020-03-26 |website=Netra News — নেত্র নিউজ |language=en-US |access-date=2020-04-08}}

On March 28, 2020, the platform leaked a United Nations interagency memo,{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2020/04/refugees-coronavirus-covid19-bangladesh/609259/ |title=The Unseen Pandemic |last=McLaughlin |first=Timothy |date=2020-04-02 |magazine=The Atlantic |language=en-US |access-date=2020-04-08}} which [https://netra.news/2020/united-nations-interagency-covid-19-memo-without-interventions-upto-2-million-people-may-die-in-bangladesh-928 predicted] up to 2 million deaths in Bangladesh from Covid-19 in a “no-intervention” scenario. Bangladesh’s foreign minister, AK Abdul Momen, criticized the leak of the memo, calling it “a total violation of the UN charter.” The story, however, was widely picked up by global media outlets including The Atlantic,{{Cite news |last=McLaughlin |first=Timothy |title=The Unseen Pandemic |language=en-US |work=The Atlantic |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2020/04/refugees-coronavirus-covid19-bangladesh/609259/ |access-date=2021-07-08}} South China Morning Post,{{Cite news |date=2020-04-01 |title=Warning of 2 million Bangladesh virus deaths 'based on wrong assumption' |url=https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3077936/coronavirus-bangladesh-defends-readiness-after-leaked |access-date=2021-07-08 |work=South China Morning Post |language=en}} and The Australian.{{Cite news |title=Two million could die, UN warns |url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/coronavirus-two-million-could-die-in-bangladesh-un-warns/news-story/c9e9bb748c3f54ca26e9cca90a4c9ca2 |access-date=2021-07-08 |work=The Australian |language=en-AU}}

Netra News in May 2020 published an investigative story alleging that Bangladesh’s military intelligence hired and employed hackers and online trolls to go against dissenting activists on Facebook. The report was cited by Freedom House in the Bangladesh chapter of its Freedom on the Net 2020 report.{{Cite web|title=Bangladesh: Freedom on the Net 2020 Country Report|url=https://freedomhouse.org/country/bangladesh/freedom-net/2020|access-date=2021-07-08|website=Freedom House|language=en}} In December 2020, Facebook announced that it took actions against a Bangladeshi hacker group.{{Cite web|date=2020-12-11|title=Taking Action Against Hackers in Bangladesh and Vietnam|url=https://about.fb.com/news/2020/12/taking-action-against-hackers-in-bangladesh-and-vietnam/|access-date=2021-07-08|website=About Facebook|language=en-US}}

In 2022, Netra News exposed how Rapid Action Battalion's intelligence wing abducted Ilias Ali. The report claimed that the close associates of Ziaul Ahsan was responsible for the enforced disappearance of the former lawmaker.{{Cite web |url=https://netra.news/2022/leaked-documents-rab-abducted-ilias-ali/ |title=Leaked documents: RAB abducted Ilias Ali |date=2022-04-21 |website=Netra News — নেত্র নিউজ |language=en-US |access-date=2023-03-17}}

On 21 March 2025, in the context of discussions sparked by a Facebook post from former anti-discrimination student leader Hasnat Abdullah concerning the Bangladesh Army,{{cite web |last=Abdullah |first=Hasnat |date=21 March 2025 |title=11th March, at 2:30 pm. |url=https://www.facebook.com/hasnat.ab1/posts/4035803879984268 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250323072532/https://www.facebook.com/hasnat.ab1/posts/4035803879984268 |archive-date=23 March 2025 |access-date=23 March 2025 |website=facebook post}}{{cite news |date=2025-03-23 |title=Sargis posts expressing 'partial disagreement' with Hasnat Abdullah's remarks |url=https://www.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/c4rf5cne1w |access-date=2025-03-23 |work=Prothom Alo |language=en}}{{cite news |date=2025-03-23 |title=Nasiruddin Patwary calls Hasnat Abdullah's status disrespectful |url=https://www.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/district/rj6wqhwbbk |access-date=2025-03-23 |work=Prothom Alo |language=en}}{{cite web |author=Staff Reporter |date=2025-03-22 |title=I consider my discussion with Army high command as political interference: Hasnat Abdullah |url=https://www.prothomalo.com/politics/dnmd40pdih |access-date=2025-03-23 |website=Prothomalo |language=en}} Netra News published a report.{{cite news|url=https://netra.news/2025/army-hq-responds-hasnat-abdullah-post/|title=Hasnat's statement is "an extremely ridiculous and immature collection of stories": Army HQ|last=Hossain|first=Miraj |date=22 March 2025|work=Netra News|access-date=23 March 2025}} The report included a statement from the army's Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR). Quoting this report, The Daily Prothom Alo published an article in its online edition titled "Hasnat's statement is 'an extremely ridiculous and immature collection of stories': Army HQ tells Netra News".{{cite web |author=Staff Reporter |date=2025-03-23 |title=Hasnat's statement is 'an extremely ridiculous and immature collection of stories': Army HQ tells Netra News |url=https://www.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/f9yguk8vyl |access-date=2025-03-23 |website=Prothomalo |language=en}}

The mother of Tasneem Khalil, the chief editor, has allegedly faced harassment at the hand of state agencies.

In October 2020, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights and Asian Human Rights Commission cited in their reports allegations made by Khalil that security officials visited his mother Nazneen Khalil’s residence in Sylhet to question her about his activities.{{Cite news |title=Crackdown on dissent deepens in Bangladesh |url=https://www.ucanews.com/news/crackdown-on-dissent-deepens-in-bangladesh/90088 |access-date=2021-07-08 |work=UCA News |language=en}} They also allegedly made threats saying that if they decide to visit her home again, their approach may be “different and not nice.”{{Cite web |date=2020-10-24 |title=Bangladesh: Stop Intimidating Activists, Victims' Families |url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/10/24/bangladesh-stop-intimidating-activists-victims-families |access-date=2021-07-08 |website=Human Rights Watch |language=en}}

In a separate incident, the anti-terrorism unit of the Bangladesh police in June 2021 charged Khalil, among others, for “spreading rumours and carrying out anti-government activities.”{{Cite news |date=2021-06-13 |title=Police press charges against cartoonist Kishore, 6 others in digital security case |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/court/2021/06/13/chargesheet-submitted-against-cartoonist-kishore-six-others-in-digital-security-case |access-date=2021-07-08 |work=Dhaka Tribune}}

In 2023, Netra News investigation "Secret Prisoners of Dhaka" was shortlisted for the Global Shining Light Award.{{Cite web |date=2023-09-21 |title=Investigations from Nigeria, Venezuela, South Africa, and North Macedonia Win Global Shining Light Awards at GIJC23 |url=https://gijn.org/stories/global-shining-light-award-investigative-journalism-winners-2023 |access-date=2024-07-21 |work=GIJN}} In 2024, Netra News, in collaboration with Deutsche Welle (DW), won the prestigious Human Rights Press Award for their documentary "Inside Bangladesh's Death Squad," which provided evidence of targeted killings and torture by an elite Bangladeshi unit.{{Cite news |date=2024-10-05 |title=Press Award goes to DW documentary about death squad |url=https://www.dw.com/en/human-rights-press-award-goes-to-dw-documentary-about-bangladeshi-death-squad/a-69047935 |access-date=2024-07-21 |work=DW}}

Additionally, Netra News won a Sigma Award for their project "Body Count: Extrajudicial Executions in Bangladesh,"{{Cite web |date=2024-03-22 |title=Ten outstanding data projects win the Sigma Awards 2024 competition |url=https://www.sigmaawards.org/meet-the-winners-of-the-sigmas-2024-for-data-journalism |access-date=2024-07-21 |work=Sigma Awards}} which combined data journalism and fieldwork to highlight alleged extrajudicial killings and acts of torture by Bangladeshi security forces.

On August 24, 2022, Bangladeshi lawyer Ilyas Ahmed filed a case under the Digital Security Act (DSA) against Netra News, alleging that the outlet was involved in disseminating “anti-state propaganda.” Ahmed claimed that the alleged activities caused economic damage amounting to Tk 50,000 crore.{{Cite news |title=Case filed against Netra News in Rangpur |url=https://www.jagonews24.com/en/national/news/63435 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250216141525/https://www.jagonews24.com/en/national/news/63435 |archive-date=2025-02-16 |access-date=2025-04-13 |work=jagonews24.com |language=en-UK}}{{cite web |date=2022-08-25 |title=Report on DGFI: Ex-army man, Netra News sued under the DSA |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/crime-justice/news/report-dgfi-ex-army-man-netra-news-sued-under-the-dsa-3102461 |access-date=2025-04-13 |website=The Daily Star}}

{{reflist|30em}}

Category:Swedish news websites

Category:2019 establishments in Sweden