Reporters Without Borders (RSF), an international organization advocating for press freedom, has identified Bangladesh as one of the four most dangerous countries for journalists. In its latest report, RSF detailed the perilous conditions journalists face globally, alongside statistics on those killed while performing their professional duties.

According to The Economic Times, which published details of the report on Thursday, December 12, RSF stated that 54 journalists were killed worldwide in 2024. Among them, at least five journalists lost their lives in Bangladesh, placing the country in third position on the list of deadliest places for media professionals.

The report identified Gaza as the most dangerous region for journalists, followed by Pakistan in second place. Bangladesh and Mexico were listed as the third and fourth most hazardous locations, respectively.

In the report, RSF highlighted that 18 journalists were killed in Israeli attacks this year. Sixteen of these fatalities occurred in Gaza, while two were in Lebanon. Pakistan saw seven journalist deaths, while five each were reported in Bangladesh and Mexico.

RSF’s findings also revealed that between January and December 2023, 45 journalists were killed globally. In 2024, 55 journalists have been reported as hostages, with 25 of them held by the Islamic State (IS). Additionally, 95 journalists have gone missing this year.

The report emphasized RSF's efforts to hold perpetrators accountable, including filing four war crimes charges against the Israeli military with the International Criminal Court (ICC). RSF accused Israeli forces of targeting journalists during the conflict that began in Gaza in October 2023. Since the onset of the war, over 145 journalists have been killed by Israeli forces, including 35 who died while on duty.

Israel has denied allegations of intentionally targeting journalists, asserting that any fatalities were incidental to military operations against legitimate targets. Despite this, the RSF report sheds light on the alarming risks faced by journalists globally, particularly in regions of conflict and political unrest.