Bangladesh has dropped three places in the World Press Freedom Index, partially eroding last year’s gains, according to a report released today by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
The country now ranks 152nd among 180 nations, falling from 149th position in 2025. Bangladesh has been placed in the “very serious” category based on its score.
Last year, Bangladesh had advanced by 16 places.
RSF analyses five indicators to determine media freedom: political context, legal framework, economic pressures, social dynamics and security.
The main reason for Bangladesh’s decline is a significant drop in the “political context” score, which measures political support for media autonomy, pressure from state or political forces, and tolerance for dissenting journalism. It also examines media’s ability to hold politicians accountable in the public interest.
Despite the decline, Bangladesh ranks one place above Pakistan and five places above India. However, it lags behind Nepal (65 places ahead), Sri Lanka (18 places ahead) and Bhutan (two places ahead).
Regarding the Asia-Pacific region, RSF said repression remains high and the situation is steadily deteriorating, with violations occurring in practice despite countries’ stated commitment to press freedom.
For the first time in the index’s 25-year history, the global average score has fallen to its lowest level, with more than half of all countries now in the “difficult” or “very serious” categories.
In 2002, the population of countries with “good” media freedom was 20 percent of the world’s total. In 2026, that figure has dropped to less than one percent.
Only seven countries — including Norway and other Northern European nations — have been included in the “good” category.
The United States fell another seven places to 64th position after dropping from “satisfactory” to “problematic” in 2024, the year Donald Trump was re-elected.
Russia ranks 172nd, with RSF warning that the government is using anti-terrorism and anti-extremism laws to curtail media freedom. As of April this year, 48 journalists were imprisoned in Russia.
Norway has maintained the top position for ten consecutive years, while Eritrea remains at the bottom for the third straight year.
Syria advanced 36 places to 141st following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad government at the end of 2024.
zRSF Editorial Director Anne Bocandé expressed concern, saying, “Currently, international laws protecting journalists are being neglected, and perpetrators are enjoying impunity.”
