Daily Star Office Set on Fire; Prothom Alo Vandalized in Dhaka

In a night of escalating unrest, the offices of two of Bangladesh’s leading newspapers, The Daily Star and Prothom Alo, were attacked by angry protesters in the early hours of Friday, December 19. The violence erupted following news of the death of Inqilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi.

The Daily Star Attack: Protesters reached the Karwan Bazar office around 12:15 AM, smashing glass panels and dragging furniture and documents into the street to set them on fire. The blaze quickly spread, filling the building with thick smoke. At least 20 employees were trapped on the rooftop, with journalists reporting extreme difficulty breathing. Firefighters from Tejgaon were initially delayed due to safety concerns but managed to bring the fire under control by 1:40 AM. A crane was deployed to rescue those stranded on the roof.

Prothom Alo Vandalism: Earlier, around 11:00 PM on Thursday, hundreds of demonstrators surrounded the Prothom Alo building. Dozens of youths climbed the four-story structure, vandalizing multiple floors and burning office equipment in front of the building. As of 2:00 AM, the situation at the Prothom Alo premises has reportedly returned to normal after the protesters vacated the area.

The attacks appear to be a reaction to the death of Sharif Osman Hadi. Demonstrators marched from Shahbagh to Karwan Bazar, chanting slogans before targeting the media houses. While the fire is now doused, the psychological toll on the trapped media workers remains high, with several staff members posting harrowing messages on social media during the height of the crisis.