Journalists hope for new era of press freedom in Bangladesh

Bangladeshi journalists are hoping the resignation this week of Sheikh Hasina will bring an era of censorship and fear to an end, as they prepare to hold a new interim government to account.

- Redwan Ahmed, Kaamil Ahmed

Arrests, abuse and forced disappearances at the hands of Bangladesh's security forces have loomed over journalists for most of the former prime minister's 15-year rule, preventing them from reporting anything that could be perceived as embarrassing to the government.

Last year Hasina labelled the country's largest newspaper, Prothom Alo, an "enemy of the people" for reporting on inflation.