Bangladesh: Violent Mob Torch Two Influential Newspaper Offices, Attack Journalists Amid Growing Unrest

A fresh wave of violence swept through Bangladesh’s capital following the death of a prominent student leader as angry mobs targeted some of the country’s most influential media houses and journalists.

As per reports, late on Thursday night and into the early hours of Friday, protesters stormed the headquarters of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, setting parts of the buildings ablaze and carrying out widespread vandalism in Bangladesh.

Sticks were used to smash property, while fires burned on the streets outside Prothom Alo’s office, according to videos circulating on social media. Some employees were reportedly trapped inside the buildings before journalists and staff were eventually evacuated and the fires brought under control.

The violence also extended to individuals, with veteran journalist Nurul Kabir, editor of New Age and a prominent figure in Bangladesh’s media landscape, coming under attack.

The unrest was triggered by the death of Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, spokesperson of the activist group Inquilab Mancha and a leading figure of the ‘July Uprising’ that toppled the Sheikh Hasina regime in August 2024.

Hadi had been airlifted to Singapore for emergency treatment after being shot in the head by unidentified assailants in Dhaka on December 12. He succumbed to his injuries on Thursday evening.

Following news of his death, groups gathered outside major newspaper offices, launching what appeared to be coordinated assaults. Supporters poured onto the streets, accusing media outlets of biased reporting and alleging a wider conspiracy involving foreign elements.

According to the Associated Press, editors of the targeted newspapers are widely believed to be closely connected with the country’s interim leader, Muhammad Yunus. In recent weeks, Islamist groups had staged protests outside the offices of these dailies, accusing them of maintaining links with India.

Demonstrations also took on a diplomatic dimension. In several locations, protesters raised anti-India slogans and attempted to march toward Indian diplomatic missions. In Rajshahi district, which borders India, dozens of demonstrators tried to approach the office of the Assistant Indian High Commissioner but were stopped.

Bangladeshi authorities said suspects in the shooting had been identified and claimed the gunman had most likely fled to India. Dhaka subsequently summoned the Indian envoy to seek an explanation. Hadi was known as a vocal critic of both neighbouring India and former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Reports from The Times of India said that groups of protesters stormed the offices of both newspapers, vandalised the premises and set parts of the buildings on fire, trapping journalists and staff inside as smoke rapidly filled the offices.

Zyma Islam, a reporter with The Daily Star, described the terrifying moments as she remained trapped inside the burning building. “I can’t breathe anymore. There’s too much smoke. I am inside. You are killing me,” she wrote on Facebook.

Officials said the fire at The Daily Star office was brought under control around 1.40 am, though 27 employees were still inside at the time. “We took refuge at the rear of the building and could hear them chanting slogans,” Daily Star reporter Ahmed Deepto told AFP, referring to the protesters.

According to bdnews24, a journalist said staff had earlier received a phone call warning that a crowd was heading toward the newspaper’s premises. When newsroom employees attempted to move downstairs, they found the lower floors had already been vandalised and set ablaze. Night-shift staff reportedly fled to the terrace to save their lives.

At least 25 journalists were rescued over a four-hour operation following the attack at the Kawran Bazar office, bdnews24 reported. Firefighters used ladders to evacuate those trapped, while army contingents were later deployed around the buildings.

“Hundreds of people have gathered here and carried out the attack,” a police officer told BBC Bangla. Troops were subsequently deployed to secure the area. Witnesses said protesters first vandalised the Prothom Alo office before setting fire to The Daily Star building.

It remained unclear why the two outlets—both known for their passive support of interim leader Muhammad Yunus—were targeted.

In a televised address, Yunus announced special prayers at mosques on Friday and declared a day of mourning on Saturday. “Hadi’s demise is an irreparable loss for the nation,” Yunus said, urging protesters to remain calm.

Why the unrest matters for India

The violence soon extended beyond media houses. Hundreds of protesters surrounded the residence of India’s deputy ambassador in Dhaka, prompting police to use tear gas to disperse the crowd, according to local media reports.

Demonstrators also blocked a key highway leading out of the capital, attacked the residence of a former minister in Chittagong, and vandalised Chhayanaut, a prominent cultural institution in Dhaka.

Large crowds gathered at the Shahbagh intersection near Dhaka University, chanting slogans such as “Who are you, who am I – Hadi, Hadi.” According to AFP, student groups including Jatiya Chhatra Shakti and the National Citizen Party (NCP) joined the demonstrations.

NCP leaders alleged that Hadi’s attackers had fled to India and demanded the closure of the Indian High Commission until they were returned. “The interim government, until India returns assassins of Hadi Bhai, the Indian High Commission to Bangladesh will remain closed. Now or Never. We are in a war!,” NCP leader Sarjis Alm said, AFP reported.

Amid the turmoil, a parliamentary standing committee on external affairs warned that India faces its most serious strategic challenge in Bangladesh since the 1971 Liberation War.

The committee, chaired by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, said the evolving political and security situation—marked by rising Islamist influence, weakening political institutions, and growing involvement of China and Pakistan—poses a long-term challenge to regional stability.

“India faces its greatest strategic challenge in Bangladesh since the Liberation war of 1971,” the report said, adding that while the threat is not immediately existential, it reflects a generational shift in Bangladesh’s political order and a “potential strategic realignment away from India.”