NEW YORK: Bangladesh has slipped down by three steps in a US report titled ‘Freedom of the Press 2014’ though the state of freedom of mass media is better than that of its South Asian neighboring countries.

Mass media in Bangladesh exercises more freedom than it does in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives and Afghanistan, according to the report.

The report shows that media are ‘not free’ and independent in 66 out of 197 countries, ‘partly free’ in 68 countries and ‘free’ in 63 countries. Even mass media are not fully free in India.

US Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs Douglas Frantz and New York-based non-governmental organization Freedom House project director Karin Deutsch Karlekar disclosed the report at New Work on Thursday.

The report on was released on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, to be observed worldwide on May 3.

Bangladesh came at 115th place, down by 3 steps that of 2013 index and the media are ‘party free’ here.

Netherlands, Norway and Sweden jointly topped the list while media in others European countries were relatively free than the countries elsewhere of the world.

Media in US and UK is ‘free’ and ranked 30th and 36th respectively, according to the report.

BDST: 0934 HRS MAY 02, 2014