Bangladeshi Journalists in International Media (BJIM) has expressed solidarity with journalist and fact-checker Qadaruddin Shishir, voicing concern over what it described as a coordinated online smear campaign targeting him, his professional reputation and his independent media platform, The Dissent.

In a statement issued on Thursday, BJIM condemned the campaign against Shishir, a member of the organisation, and called for evidence-based criticism instead of baseless allegations, personal attacks and deliberate misrepresentation.

Shishir has worked in journalism and fact-checking for years, including with international news organisations such as Agence France-Presse (AFP). He is now building The Dissent as an independent media platform, the statement said.

BJIM acknowledged that journalists and media organisations must remain open to scrutiny, criticism and accountability, stressing that no journalist should be exempt from legitimate questioning.

However, it said there was a fundamental difference between good-faith criticism based on evidence and coordinated efforts to discredit individuals through personal attacks and unfounded accusations.

Such campaigns not only damage individual reputations but also risk creating a hostile environment for journalists, discouraging independent reporting and undermining public trust in journalism, the organisation said.

“Disagreement is part of journalism. Smear campaigns should never be,” it said in the statement.