Newspaper offices torched during protests in Bangladesh
A group of protesters set fire to the offices of leading Bangladeshi newspapers Prothom Alo and The Daily Star in Dhaka’s Karwan Bazar area late at night, following protests sparked by the death of youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi.
According to witnesses, several hundred demonstrators gathered near the Prothom Alo office around 11:00 p.m., chanting slogans before vandalising the premises and setting part of the building on fire around midnight. The mob later moved to The Daily Star office, where they carried out similar acts of vandalism and arson, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
⚡Mass protests in Bangladesh following the death of a young politician. #BangladeshCrisis
— News.Az (@news_az) December 19, 2025
Mass protests have engulfed Bangladesh following the death of young politician Sharif Osman Hadi, who was fatally wounded in an assassination attempt in Dhaka on December 12. pic.twitter.com/kEFOVoPjt2
Journalists inside The Daily Star building reported being trapped as smoke filled the newsroom. Some staff members were forced to move to the terrace to escape the fire. At least 25 journalists were rescued after being stranded for nearly four hours, with the Bangladesh Army and Fire Service leading the evacuation operation.
“The situation was extremely dangerous due to heavy smoke,” one reporter posted on social media during the incident. The fire was brought under control around 2:00 a.m., though security forces remained deployed as crowds continued to gather.
Videos circulating on social media showed Editors’ Council President and New Age editor Nurul Kabir being harassed and assaulted by the mob during the unrest.
Authorities have since stationed army personnel in front of The Daily Star building to prevent further violence. The motive behind the attacks remains unclear, particularly as both newspapers are generally viewed as supportive of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus and the interim government.
No official casualty figures have been released, and investigations into the attacks are ongoing.
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