On May 10, 2007, he was picked up from his home, blindfolded and reportedly taken to an army camp, where he was tortured. In the following days, Khalil fled Bangladesh and took refuge in Sweden. Over the following decade, Bangladesh’s Press Freedom Index continued on a downward trend. The Digital Security Act (DSA) introduced in 2018—an updated version of the 2006 Information Technology Act—became the most stringent draconian law to muzzle the press. Journalists critical of the ruling Awami League government were brought under DSA charges. A study by the Centre for Governance Studies (CGS) found that 280 journalists were accused of violations, 84 of whom were detained, between October 2018 and August 2022. Against this backdrop, Khalil, while still in exile, set up the Netra News, an independent public interest journalism outlet in Sweden. Netra News’ investigative reportage exposing corruption in the ruling government and abuse of security agencies is a rare feat of journalism.