Last Updated on January 17, 2026 9:36 pm by INDIAN AWAAZ
Zakir Hossain from Dhaka
Journalists, editors and media owners in Bangladesh on Saturday demanded protection from authorities after mob attacks on two leading newspapers, warning of growing threats to press freedom under the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.
In December, mobs attacked the Dhaka offices of the Daily Star and Prothom Alo, setting parts of the buildings on fire, looting them and trapping journalists inside following the death of a prominent Islamist activist. Journalists sheltering on the Daily Star rooftop were rescued hours later. A leader of the Editors’ Council was manhandled at the scene, and liberal cultural centres were also attacked the same day. Newspaper authorities said the administration failed to respond despite repeated calls for help.
The motive for the attacks remains unclear, though Islamist groups had recently protested outside the newspapers, accusing them of links with India. The editors of both dailies are known to be close to Yunus.
At a conference jointly organised by the Editors’ Council and the Newspaper Owners’ Association of Bangladesh (NOAB), journalists warned that rising tensions ahead of elections expected in February threaten free expression. Editors’ Council president and New Age editor Nurul Kabir said attempts to silence the media show a “dangerous pattern”. “Those who want to suppress institutions that act as vehicles of democratic aspirations are doing so through laws, force and intimidation,” he said, adding, “The democratic aspiration that brings people into journalism can never be a crime.”
After the December attacks, UN expert Irene Khan called the mob violence “deeply alarming” and said it must be investigated. “The weaponization of public anger against journalists and artists is dangerous… especially as the country prepares for elections,” she warned, citing risks to democracy.
Yunus came to power after former prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled amid a mass uprising in August 2024. While he promised stability, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have accused his government of failing to protect civil rights and of enabling the rise of radical and Islamist groups. Dozens of journalists face murder charges linked to the uprising, and several seen as close to Hasina have been arrested.
Addressing the first Media Convention-2026 in Dhaka, Kabir said attacks on media “obstruct the rights of the entire society” and stressed unity. Daily Star editor Mahfuz Anam said independent journalism benefits governments: “No one will tell you the truth… Independent journalism is the only institution that tells you the truth.” Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman urged solidarity: “Regardless of differences… journalists must remain united.”
Leaders of major journalist organisations and reporters from across the country attended the convention, pledging to defend independent, responsible and fearless journalism.