DRL Promoting and Protecting Media Freedom in Bangladesh

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) announces an open competition for organizations interested in submitting applications for projects that advance freedom of expression in Bangladesh. Journalists and human rights defenders in Bangladesh are routinely arrested, detained, or imprisoned for criticizing the government, defamation, or offending religious sentiments. Authorities have increased online censorship, blocked websites critical of the government, and surveil social media for dissent. DRL's goal is to help uphold the Bangladesh’s commitment to freedom of the press as outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human rights, and help ensure that human rights defenders and journalists are safe from censorship and harassment from government and police. DRL’s objective is to provide organizations with the tools necessary to empower civil society to promote media freedom, including online, despite the current restrictive legal framework. Possible program approaches could include: • Develop and implement a small grants program to fund, train, and mentor independent media entities and improve their physical and digital security; • Conduct trainings on topics such as journalistic skill-building in reporting, writing, editing, and filming; ethical journalism; countering disinformation; and countering harassment in the workplace, especially in rural or underserved areas; • Increase citizens’ ability to access, identify, and consume non-biased, fact-based information; • Provide legal support and emergency support to human rights defenders (including civil society and journalists) that face unfair arrests. Proposed programming must be responsive to immediate needs on the ground and in line with the U.S. Government’s democracy, governance, and human rights goals in Bangladesh; and should contribute to and support Bangladesh’s efforts to strengthen democracy, governance, and human rights in the country.