Prothom Alo has demanded an investigation after their Dhaka office was attacked, citing threats to upcoming elections and Bangladesh’s image.
Executive Editor of Prothom Alo Sajjad Sharif made the remarks during a human chain held by the newspaper’s staff in front of their main office in Kawranbazar, Dhaka, protesting the arson, vandalism, and looting of the building.
He described the assault as a planned and organised attack that put journalists’ lives at serious risk.
The attack forced staff to leave the newsroom for safety, halting the publication process. “For the first time in its 27-year history, Prothom Alo could not be published,” he said, adding that the newspaper’s online operations have also remained suspended since Thursday night.
Sharif called the attack a severe violation of freedom of expression, dissent, and media independence.
“This is not an attack on Prothom Alo alone. The Daily Star has also been targeted. It is a black day for Bangladesh’s media, freedom of speech, and democracy,” he said.
He urged authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and ensure exemplary punishment for those responsible and called on civil society to stand with the country’s journalists and media organisations.
Eyewitnesses said the attack on Prothom Alo began around midnight on Thursday, with protesters setting fire in front of the building and chanting slogans against Prothom Alo and India. The incident followed the news of Inqilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi’s death.
Matiur Rahman, editor of Prothom Alo, and Anisul Haque, associate editor, along with other staff members, participated in the human chain.
