Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) on Wednesday demanded a special law to protect journalists as they come under attacks while gleaning irregularities and corruption news in the country as part of attempts to gag the voice of the media.

TIB expressed deep concern over the recent continuous attacks and demanded an immediate and fair investigation and prosecution of all the attacks, said a release.

The recent spate of attacks on journalists while collecting news of irregularities and corruption is not an isolated incident, but rather a continuing trend and ill-attempt of gagging the voice of media through abuse of power, attacks, cases and impunity, said the TIB.

Though some immediate steps are taken in these cases (attacks), the prosecutions of (attacks) don’t complete in most cases in practical terms, which questions the constitutional and state’s commitment to ensure the freedom of the media and the protection of journalists, it said.

TIB demanded a special law for the protection of journalists alongside ensuring strict punishment of the perpetrator in every case of attack through immediate and fair investigation.

"When the people of the country are facing a multi-faceted crisis due to money laundering and various forms of corruption by influential and powerful corrupt people, the series of attacks on journalists for uncovering and publishing information about corruption is not an isolated incident,” said TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman.

He said at least 119 journalists were subjected to different attacks, cases and repression in the current year till July last, according to the statistics of Ain O Salish Kendra.