Despite the arrest of 17 suspects, those believed to have planned and directed last week’s violent attacks on the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star have not yet been detained, journalists, eyewitnesses and defence lawyers say.
Images of individuals believed to have instigated the vandalism, looting and arson continue to circulate on social media. Several are seen at the scene issuing instructions and remaining present throughout the attacks. None of them, police acknowledge, have so far been arrested.
At a press conference on Monday, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Additional Commissioner for Crime and Operations SN Nazrul Islam said investigators had identified at least 31 people involved after reviewing CCTV and video footage.
So far, 17 people have been arrested — 13 by local police stations, three by the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit, and one by the Detective Branch (DB). Police say further arrests are expected.
Islam said cash looted during the violence had been recovered from one suspect, Mohammad Naim, who allegedly used the money to buy a television and a refrigerator, both of which have been seized.
“Many of those who directly participated are visible in the footage,” he said. “More arrests will follow.”
Police stressed that while protest and anger were legitimate, entering offices, setting fires and vandalising property were criminal acts carried out with “bad intentions”.
15 sent to jail
Later on Monday evening, a Dhaka court ordered that 15 of the arrested suspects be sent to jail in connection with a case filed at Tejgaon police station over the attack on Prothom Alo’s Karwan Bazar office.
The remaining two arrestees are reportedly still in police custody.
During the hearing, defence lawyers argued that the arrests were indiscriminate and that innocent people had been falsely implicated.
One lawyer told the court that had police relied on clear photographic evidence, the actual perpetrators would have been detained. Another claimed that rickshaw-pullers, shopkeepers and people picked up during night raids had been named as suspects without specific allegations.
At one point, one of the accused addressed the court, saying he had been arrested after parking his rickshaw and had not taken part in any vandalism.
State prosecutors opposed bail, arguing that the offences were non-bailable and posed a serious threat to public order and press freedom. They said the attacks had placed journalists’ lives at risk and caused widespread destruction.
What the case statement says
According to the case statement, the complaint was filed at Tejgaon police station by Prothom Alo’s head of security, retired Major Md Sazzadul Kabir, 61.
The statement says that at around 11:15pm on 18 December, between 20 and 30 unidentified attackers, armed with locally made weapons and flammable materials, attempted to enter the Prothom Alo office. Police initially blocked their advance, after which the group gathered illegally in front of the building, chanting provocative slogans and calling on online activists to mobilise more people.
It alleges that, following incitement on social media, the crowd grew rapidly to between 350 and 450 people. At around 11:50pm, the group launched a coordinated attack on the Prothom Alo office in Karwan Bazar.
Attackers are accused of breaking through the main gate, smashing shutters and glass doors, and entering the building, where they vandalised offices, equipment and documents. Furniture and technical equipment were damaged or looted, and parts of the building were set on fire.
The statement further alleges that the building’s fire safety system was deliberately damaged, CCTV footage destroyed and fire service personnel obstructed. Computers, laptops, servers, financial documents and other materials were destroyed in the blaze, causing an estimated loss of around Tk 32 crore.
As a result, Prothom Alo’s printed edition and online operations were suspended on 19 December, the statement says.
Eyewitnesses: ‘Those giving orders are free’
Despite the arrests, multiple eyewitnesses say those who directed the violence have not been detained.
Traders in Karwan Bazar who witnessed the attacks said the violence appeared organised. Several said middle-aged men openly issued instructions, remained at the scene until fires were extinguished and addressed crowds loudly.
“Those people were clearly in charge,” one trader said. “They are not among the arrested.”
Journalists at Prothom Alo gave similar accounts, saying several individuals were seen giving orders during the attack and later speaking to different media outlets expressing anger and, in some cases, celebrating the destruction.
“Those faces are visible in videos,” one staff member said. “But none of them have been arrested.”
Pavement vendors near the Ananda Cinema Hall area in Farmgate, close to The Daily Star Centre, also said the attack there was carried out under the direction of several older men. None, they said, appear to be among those detained.
Police cite restraint
Police say they exercised restraint because of the scale of the crowd. Additional DMP Commissioner Islam told the press conference that between 4,000 and 5,000 people were present at the height of the unrest, and a forceful response with limited manpower could have resulted in fatalities.
“The fact that no human life was lost is a major achievement,” he said.
Asked about the political affiliations of those arrested, Mr Islam said police were not examining political identity. He described those involved in the attacks as criminals who had broken the law and taken the law into their own hands, adding that regardless of party affiliation or ideology, all suspects would face trial under the country’s existing laws and judicial system.
Police say the violence followed the spread of news around 9:30pm on 18 December about the death of Inqilab Moncho convener Sharif Osman Hadi. Crowds gathered at Shahbagh before moving towards Karwan Bazar, where the attacks continued into the early hours.
The Daily Star also file a case on Monday night after completing damage assessments.
Unanswered questions
As investigations continue, a growing gap remains between police accounts and those of eyewitnesses and newsroom staff. While authorities point to arrests and ongoing operations, critics say those who allegedly planned and orchestrated the violence — some of whom appear clearly in public footage — remain beyond the reach of law enforcement.
For the country’s media community, the central question persists: whether justice will extend beyond those accused of opportunistic looting to those alleged to have directed one of the most damaging attacks on the press in recent history.
