Religious Adviser A F M Khalid Hossain said several individuals involved in the attacks, looting and arson at the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star have been identified. He said steps have been taken to arrest them and bring them under the law.
He made the remarks on Sunday while Speaking to newspersons at the secretariat.
“Those who set fire to Prothom Alo and The Daily Star—I have learned from intelligence reports that we have already been able to identify some of their photographs and identities,” Khalid Hossain said, adding that necessary measures had been taken to arrest them as quickly as possible.
He said burning down institutions or killing people by setting them on fire was never acceptable, adding that the government was determined to stop such wrongful and heinous acts and ensure punishment for those responsible.
Earlier, on Thursday night, following news of the death of Inqilab Moncho spokesperson Osman Hadi, an agitated crowd carried out attacks at several locations, including the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star.
After vandalism and looting, the Prothom Alo office at Karwan Bazar and The Daily Star office at Farmgate were set on fire.
Responding to a question about the attack on Chhayanaut Bhaban, the adviser said, “it is never acceptable for anyone to set fire to an institution or burn people alive, describing such acts as wrong and heinous and reiterating the government’s determination to bring those responsible under the law.”
When asked about the killing of garment worker Dipu Chandra Das in Bhaluka, Mymensingh, who was beaten to death and later hung from a tree with his body set on fire, the adviser expressed sorrow, calling the incident extremely condemnable and heinous.
Calling the incident “extremely condemnable,” Khalid Hossain said the government would not allow anyone to take the law into their own hands.
