Mobs torch 2 newspaper offices as Bangladesh boils after student leader's death

As the fresh wave of violence erupted in Bangladesh’s capital following the death of a prominent student leader, angry mobs targeted some of the country’s most influential media houses and attacked journalists. Late on Thursday night and into the early hours of Friday, protesters stormed the headquarters of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, setting parts of the buildings on fire and carrying out extensive vandalism.

The attacks, involving arson and widespread damage, were triggered by the confirmed death of Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of the activist group Inquilab Mancha and a prominent face of the “July Uprising” that toppled the Sheikh Hasina regime in 2024.

The attack on Prothom Alo’s office began around midnight on Thursday, followed shortly by a similar assault on The Daily Star. According to Nagorik, groups of people gathered outside the newspaper offices after news broke of the death of Inquilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Bin Hadi and launched coordinated attacks.

Videos circulating on social media show mobs vandalising the premises with sticks, while fires were seen burning on the road outside Prothom Alo’s office. Nagorik also reported that some employees were trapped inside the two buildings during the violence.

Hadi had been flown to Singapore for emergency medical treatment after being shot in the head by unidentified assailants in Dhaka on December 12. He succumbed to his injuries on Thursday evening. His death acted as an immediate catalyst for the unrest, with supporters taking to the streets, accusing the media outlets of biased coverage and alleging a conspiracy involving foreign elements.

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