How Violence Unfolded At Bangladesh Media Offices And The Aftermath

For the first time in its history of 27 years, Prothom Alo, Bangladesh's leading newspaper, was shut on Friday. Its online version was closed for about 17 hours after a violent mob vandalised and looted Prothom Alo's office in Dhaka before setting it on fire. The death of a 32-year-old, Sharif Osman Hadi, Bangladesh's youth leader, ignited fresh protests in the capital on Thursday night, and media outlets - Prothom Alo and another leading daily, The Daily Star - also came under fire.

The Night Of Horror At Prothom Alo

"At around 11:15 pm on Thursday, 30 to 35 attackers marched from Shahbagh to the Prothom Alo office in Karwan Bazar. When they tried to attack, the police stopped them. Failing, they took positions in front of the office and started shouting various slogans. Then some of them started making various threats, including burning Prothom Alo and attacking anyone from Prothom Alo if they found them," the publication wrote, detailing the attack.

Attackers were allegedly heard calling more people to the site. They searched for the mobile phones of many people in the vicinity and attacked some traders and hawkers in the market area. This continued for about an hour and a half.

People living abroad began inciting an attack on the media house through social media posts, which brought in another group of attackers from Shahbagh, Prothom Alo alleged.

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At around 12:15 am, the attack began.

It started with attackers throwing bricks and smashing the glass of the building and then breaking the shutters of the main gate and barging into the four-story structure. The attackers threw down furniture, equipment, and documents, gathered them in one place, and set them on fire.

"They completely destroyed the building's firefighting system. CCTV cameras were also broken," the media house shared.

Prothom Alo said it had informed all law enforcement agencies about the mob and possible attack when the procession set off from Shahbagh but when things were being thrown down from different floors of the building, only a few policemen were at the scene.

"They looted more than 150 computers and laptops and multiple lockers for storing money, cash, and personal belongings from the employees' desks. Some were also seen taking books from Prothoma Prakash's own sales center on the ground floor of the building. Nothing was left on the first, second, and third floors of the building," it added.

During the looting, the attackers set fire to the building and began celebrating. At around 1 am, the fire intensified and spread to neighboring buildings. The power connection next to the building also caught fire.

"At that time, Prothom Alo repeatedly contacted the fire service and law enforcement agencies. However, the fire service personnel were unable to reach the scene due to the attackers' obstruction and roadblocks."

The first unit of the fire service reached the Karwan Bazar metro station near the office building at around 1:45 am but was attacked by "a group of terrorists." Scared, two fire service vehicles moved back.

The attackers then moved to The Daily Star office, after which, at around 2:30 am, fire extinguishing operations could begin.

"By the time the fire service was able to put out the fire, the Prothom Alo office was completely burnt down... nothing was left inside."

When the attack began, Prothom Alo journalists and staff left the office to save their lives.

Outside Dhaka, Prothom Alo offices in Kushtia, Khulna, and Sylhet were attacked and vandalized. Attempts were also made to attack the offices in Chittagong, Bogra, and Barisal.

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The Daily Star Office Set On Fire, Journalists Trapped

The night shift at The Daily Star office in Dhaka was running in full swing with reporters racing to meet the deadline for the first edition. It was then that a reporter began receiving repeated calls warning that a mob was vandalising another newspaper office nearby and was moving towards his workplace.

"The mob may come towards our office at any moment," he alerted the newsroom.

The staff prepared to leave the building and move to safety. By the time they came down to the second floor, the violent mob had entered the building and began breaking glasses and furniture.

Around 28 reporters and office staff ran upstairs and locked themselves on the roof. They listened to the sounds of destruction till they couldn't breathe as thick black smoke covered the rooftop.

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"As smoke rose through the building, everyone began struggling to breathe. Eyes burned. Throats tightened. The group moved from one corner of the rooftop to another, desperately searching for spots where the air felt slightly lighter," The Daily Star wrote detailing the horrendous night.

It became difficult for the staff to breathe but they staff refused to go down via a crane because the mob was active on the ground. The attackers were present outside the office till 4:30 am.

Later, an army officer came to their rescue.

The Daily Star office was also looted, including computers, cameras and food kept in the canteen.

The pictures of July martyrs Abu Sayeed and Mir Mahfuzur Rahman Mughdeh hanging on the Daily Star building were torn down, Prothom Alo reported.

It was the first time in its 33-year history that The Daily Star's publication was suspended without a holiday.

Why Media Houses Came Under Fire

Prothom Alo said it has faced pressure from various governments in the past because of "independent journalism", but it did not compromise.

"Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted in the July mass uprising, said in the National Parliament on April 10, 2023, 'Prothom Alo is an enemy of the Awami League. Prothom Alo is the enemy of democracy'," it wrote.

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Calling it one of the "darkest days for independent journalism in Bangladesh", The Daily Star said it "must not be taken lightly."