DHAKA, Bangladesh. Dec 19 — Violent protests rocked Dhaka and other Bangladeshi cities overnight, leaving journalists trapped in burning buildings and prompting media houses to suspend publication after the death of activist Sharif Osman bin Hadi.
According to BD News24, mobs attacked the Karwan Bazar offices of The Daily Star and Prothom Alo late Thursday, marking one of the most serious assaults on media institutions in recent years.
A Daily Star journalist said newsroom staff received a warning call moments before the mob arrived. “We were trying to get out when the ground floor was already being vandalised,” the journalist said.
Smoke spread rapidly through the building after attackers set parts of it on fire. Twenty-eight journalists fled to the rooftop, where they remained trapped for more than four hours.
One staff member said a canteen worker was beaten after attempting to escape via an external ladder. “After witnessing that, nobody tried to climb down,” the journalist said.
Firefighters extinguished the flames on lower floors and attempted an evacuation, but journalists refused to descend as attackers continued to loot the building. Army personnel later secured an exit route, allowing staff to be evacuated from the rear shortly before dawn.
Senior journalist Zyma Islam posted online during the incident, writing, “I can’t breathe. So much smoke. I’m inside.”
Editors’ Council President Nurul Kabir was verbally abused and physically jostled when he arrived at the scene, according to video footage shared online.
The attacks forced both The Daily Star and Prothom Alo to cancel Friday print editions, while digital operations were severely disrupted, BBC Bangla reported.
Unrest spread beyond Dhaka. Protesters vandalised and set fire to the Chhayanaut cultural centre in Dhanmondi. In Chattogram, the home of former mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury Nowfel was torched, while an Awami League office in Rajshahi was demolished.
Road blockades were reported in Barisal, Jhalakathi and other districts, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded. Student groups also staged protests in Dhaka, including at Shahbagh and Jagannath University.
As violence escalated, Inqilab Moncho issued a statement urging restraint. “Violence, vandalism and arson weaken the state,” the group said, calling on citizens to maintain stability ahead of upcoming elections.
