Netra News
A Sweden-based investigative and public-interest journalism platform focused on Bangladesh.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Netra News is a Sweden-based investigative and public-interest journalism platform covering Bangladesh. It was launched on 26 December 2019 by Bangladeshi journalist Tasneem Khalil, who lives in exile in Sweden and serves as the organization’s editor-in-chief. The outlet publishes in both English and Bangla and has developed a reputation for reporting on corruption, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, torture, political influence, digital repression, and the conduct of Bangladesh’s security agencies. The organization operates as a project of Bangladesh Media Network, which is overseen by a board including Swedish journalist Kerstin Brunnberg, Bangladeshi-Australian academic Bina D’Costa, and American journalist Dan Morrison. Its work has also been supported through a grant from the National Endowment for Democracy. Netra News has kept the identities of some associated journalists undisclosed, citing security concerns, reflecting the risks faced by reporters investigating powerful political and security actors in Bangladesh. Within days of its launch, Bangladeshi authorities blocked access to the Netra News website. The initial blocking followed an investigation into luxury watches allegedly held by Obaidul Quader, a senior Awami League leader and cabinet minister. Khalil and media reports attributed the blocking to Bangladesh’s military intelligence agency, the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence. Netra News subsequently created a mirror site using Google Cloud Firebase Storage. That mirror was also blocked, although access was reportedly restored after software developers whose applications depended on the Google service complained. The mirror was later blocked again after the publication of a leaked United Nations memo concerning possible COVID-19 deaths in Bangladesh. Netra News’s reporting has frequently had consequences beyond ordinary media coverage. Its investigation into a preliminary COVID-19 projection led BRAC University to begin an internal inquiry involving researcher Malay Kanti Mridha, while the publication of a leaked UN memo drew criticism from Bangladesh’s foreign minister and was republished or discussed by international media. Its reporting on alleged military-linked hacking and trolling was later cited by Freedom House. Investigations into enforced disappearances and alleged secret detention facilities became particularly prominent. In August 2022, the outlet reported on Aynaghar, described as a secret detention facility operated by Bangladesh’s military intelligence. Former detainees later spoke publicly about their experiences. After Sheikh Hasina’s government fell amid a mass uprising in August 2024, detainees were released and journalists were given access to the site. The platform has also faced legal and personal pressure. In 2020, rights organizations reported allegations by Khalil that Bangladeshi security officials had visited and threatened his mother. In 2021, Bangladesh’s anti-terrorism unit charged Khalil and others under provisions relating to alleged rumor-spreading and anti-government activity. In 2022, a lawyer filed a case under Bangladesh’s Digital Security Act alleging that Netra News disseminated anti-state propaganda and caused substantial economic harm. Recognition has followed the outlet’s investigations. Its work on the alleged secret prison in Dhaka was shortlisted for the 2023 Global Shining Light Award. In 2024, Netra News and Deutsche Welle received the Human Rights Press Award for the documentary "Inside Bangladesh’s Death Squad." Netra News also received a Sigma Award for "Body Count," a data and field-reporting project on alleged extrajudicial executions and torture. In May 2025, Stanford University’s Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center awarded Netra News the Shorenstein Journalism Award for courageous investigations into high-level corruption and human-rights abuses in Bangladesh.
History
Netra News emerged in late 2019 as a Sweden-based journalism project devoted to Bangladesh-focused investigative and public-interest reporting. It was founded by Tasneem Khalil, a Bangladeshi journalist living in exile, and co-founded by David Bergman, who became editor of the English edition. The platform launched on 26 December 2019 and published in English and Bangla. Israt Jahan joined on 1 November 2020 as editor of the Bangla edition. The organization initially declined to identify some contributors, explaining that doing so could expose them to security risks. The outlet’s early reporting immediately placed it in conflict with Bangladesh’s authorities. A story concerning luxury watches allegedly held by Obaidul Quader, a senior Awami League leader and cabinet minister, was followed within days by the blocking of the Netra News website in Bangladesh. Khalil alleged that the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence had orchestrated the ban. Netra News created a mirror site on Google Cloud Firebase Storage, but that address was also blocked. Access was reportedly restored temporarily after application developers complained that the blocking affected their services. The mirror was later blocked again after Netra News published a leaked UN memo on the potential COVID-19 death toll in Bangladesh. During the COVID-19 crisis, Netra News published a preliminary research projection prepared by Bangladeshi and US-based researchers associated with BRAC University. The report forecast up to 500,000 deaths without effective intervention. The university opened an internal investigation involving researcher Malay Kanti Mridha, a step criticized by academic-freedom advocates. Netra News later published a leaked UN interagency memo suggesting a possible death toll of up to two million in a no-intervention scenario. Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen condemned publication of the memo, while international outlets including The Atlantic, South China Morning Post, and The Australian reported on or cited the story. The platform broadened its investigations to digital repression and security-force abuses. In 2020 it reported allegations that Bangladesh’s military intelligence had employed hackers and online trolls to target activists on Facebook. The investigation was cited by Freedom House, and Facebook later announced action against a Bangladeshi hacker group. In 2022, Netra News reported on the alleged abduction of former lawmaker Ilias Ali and linked responsibility to associates of Ziaul Ahsan in the Rapid Action Battalion intelligence structure. Its most internationally prominent investigation was published on 14 August 2022. "Secret Prisoners of Dhaka" alleged that Bangladesh’s military intelligence operated Aynaghar, or Mirror House, as a secret detention facility. Former detainees described disappearance, confinement, and torture. After Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government collapsed during a popular uprising in August 2024, people held at the facility were released and journalists gained access to the site. Netra News’s reporting on state violence was also represented by the documentary "Inside Bangladesh’s Death Squad," produced with Deutsche Welle, and by the data-journalism project "Body Count," which examined alleged extrajudicial executions and torture. Netra News has operated under continuing legal and personal pressure. Rights organizations documented Khalil’s allegations that security officials visited his mother’s home and threatened her. In June 2021, Bangladesh’s anti-terrorism unit charged Khalil and others over alleged rumor-spreading and anti-government activities. In August 2022, lawyer Ilyas Ahmed filed a Digital Security Act case accusing the outlet of anti-state propaganda and claiming very substantial economic damage. The organization is structured as a project of Bangladesh Media Network. Its board has included Kerstin Brunnberg as president, Bina D’Costa as secretary, and Dan Morrison as treasurer. Funding has included a grant from the National Endowment for Democracy. Recognition increased as its investigations gained international reach: "Secret Prisoners of Dhaka" was shortlisted for the 2023 Global Shining Light Award; the Netra News–Deutsche Welle documentary won the 2024 Human Rights Press Award; "Body Count" won a Sigma Award; and Netra News received Stanford’s 2025 Shorenstein Journalism Award for courageous reporting on corruption and human-rights abuses in Bangladesh.
- 2025
Shorenstein Journalism Award
[1]Stanford’s Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center awards Netra News its 2025 journalism prize.
- 2024
Human Rights Press Award
[1]Netra News and Deutsche Welle receive recognition for Inside Bangladesh’s Death Squad.
- 2023
Global Shining Light Award shortlist
[1]The Secret Prisoners of Dhaka investigation is shortlisted for the international investigative-journalism award.
- 2022
Secret Prisoners of Dhaka published
[1]The outlet reports on the alleged Aynaghar secret detention facility and interviews former detainees.
- 2020
Bangla edition leadership established
[1]Israt Jahan joins as editor of the Bangla edition on 1 November.
- 2019
Netra News launches
[1]The Sweden-based Bangladesh-focused platform begins publishing on 26 December.
- 2019
Website blocked in Bangladesh
[1]Bangladeshi authorities block the site shortly after launch following early investigative reporting.
Products and positioning
Independent, investigative, bilingual journalism focused on accountability, human rights, corruption, and abuses of state power in Bangladesh.
Digital journalism · 2019
Investigative reports
Netra News’s principal output is long-form investigative reporting on Bangladesh. Its coverage examines corruption, political influence, state accountability, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, torture, digital surveillance, and the conduct of security forces. Reports are published for both domestic and international audiences, often using leaked documents, interviews, field reporting, and documentary evidence.
Digital journalism · 2019
Bangla-language edition
The Bangla edition provides the organization’s investigations and public-interest journalism to Bengali-speaking readers. It has been edited by Israt Jahan since November 2020 and complements the English edition’s international distribution.
Digital journalism · 2019
English-language edition
The English edition presents Bangladesh-focused investigations for international readers, policymakers, researchers, rights organizations, and global media. David Bergman serves as its editor, while the platform’s reporting is frequently cited or republished by international news and monitoring organizations.
Data journalism
Body Count: Extrajudicial Executions in Bangladesh
Body Count combines data journalism and field reporting to document alleged extrajudicial executions and torture in Bangladesh. The project uses structured evidence and reporting to draw attention to patterns of alleged abuse by security forces and received a Sigma Award.
Documentary journalism · 2024
Inside Bangladesh’s Death Squad
Produced in collaboration with Deutsche Welle, this documentary presented evidence concerning alleged targeted killings and torture by an elite Bangladeshi security unit. The work won the 2024 Human Rights Press Award.
Controversies
2022
Digital Security Act case
A lawyer accused Netra News of disseminating anti-state propaganda and claimed that its activities caused major economic damage.
2022
Aynaghar secret detention allegations
Netra News reported allegations that Bangladesh’s military intelligence maintained a secret detention facility where people were forcibly disappeared and tortured.
2021
Anti-terrorism case against Tasneem Khalil
Bangladesh’s anti-terrorism unit charged Khalil and others over alleged rumor-spreading and anti-government activities.
2020
Alleged harassment of the editor’s mother
Rights organizations cited allegations that Bangladeshi security officials questioned and threatened Tasneem Khalil’s mother in connection with his journalism.
2019
Website blocking and alleged state pressure
Netra News was blocked in Bangladesh shortly after launch. The editor alleged that military intelligence organized the restriction. A subsequent mirror-site dispute also resulted in repeated blocking.
Brand decisions
2022
Publish the Secret Prisoners of Dhaka investigationOtherBackground
Reports of enforced disappearances and alleged secret detention in Bangladesh had generated concern among rights advocates and affected families.
Action taken
Netra News published whistleblower-based reporting on Aynaghar and accounts from former detainees.
Aftermath
The investigation gained international attention and was later followed by access to the facility after the change of government in 2024.
2019
Launch as an exile-based investigative platformStrategyBackground
The founders created a Sweden-based outlet focused on Bangladesh while keeping some contributor identities confidential because of security concerns.
Action taken
Netra News began publishing bilingual investigative and public-interest journalism from Sweden.
Aftermath
The website was blocked in Bangladesh soon after launch, but the organization continued publishing for domestic and international audiences.
2019
Create a mirror site after blockingStrategyBackground
Bangladesh blocked the primary Netra News website shortly after publication of an investigation involving a senior government minister.
Action taken
The organization created a mirror version hosted through Google Cloud Firebase Storage.
Aftermath
The mirror was also blocked, was reportedly restored after developer complaints, and was later blocked again after further sensitive reporting.
Recent events
- 2025
Netra News receives the 2025 Shorenstein Journalism Award[1]
Other
Stanford University’s Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center recognized the outlet for investigations into high-level corruption and human-rights abuses in Bangladesh.
- 2025
Netra News publishes report quoting Bangladesh Army statement[1]
Other
Amid public discussion following a Facebook post by former student leader Hasnat Abdullah, Netra News published a report containing a statement from the army’s Inter-Services Public Relations directorate. Prothom Alo subsequently covered the army’s characterization of Abdullah’s statement.
- 2024
Netra News receives Human Rights Press Award with Deutsche Welle[1]
Other
Netra News and Deutsche Welle were recognized for the documentary "Inside Bangladesh’s Death Squad," which presented evidence concerning alleged targeted killings and torture by an elite Bangladeshi unit.
- 2020
Netra News reports on Tabith Awal’s election affidavit[1]
Lawsuit · Other
The outlet reported that mayoral candidate Tabith Awal had not disclosed ownership of a foreign company in his election affidavit. A petition challenging his candidacy was later rejected by the High Court.
- 2020
COVID-19 death projections published by Netra News[1]
Other · Regulation
The platform published a leaked preliminary research projection and later a leaked UN interagency memo concerning potentially very high COVID-19 mortality in Bangladesh without effective intervention. The reporting attracted international attention and official criticism.
- 2019
Netra News launches and is blocked in Bangladesh[1]
Other · Regulation
The platform launched on 26 December and was blocked in Bangladesh within approximately 72 hours. The blocking followed early investigative reporting and was attributed by Khalil and media reports to Bangladesh’s military intelligence.
Sources1 sources
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