Bangladesh woke up to a tense calm on December 19 after a night of widespread violence that saw newsrooms attacked, journalists trapped for hours and several cities gripped by unrest following the death of Inqilab Moncho convenor Sharif Osman bin Hadi.
The worst violence was reported from Dhaka’s Karwan Bazar, where mobs targeted two of the country’s leading newspapers — English daily The Daily Star and Bangla daily Prothom Alo. The attacks, carried out in quick succession, have raised serious concerns about the safety of journalists and press freedom.
Journalists inside The Daily Star building said they received an urgent warning call that a mob, after vandalising Prothom Alo, was moving towards their office. As staff began to evacuate, the attackers reached the ground floor, damaging property and setting parts of the building on fire.
Smoke quickly engulfed the building, making escape through staircases impossible. A group of journalists rushed to the rooftop on the 10th floor, where 28 people remained trapped for several hours. A canteen worker who attempted to climb down using an external fire-exit ladder was beaten by the mob at ground level, forcing others to stay back.
Fire Service teams later managed to control the blaze on the lower floors and climbed up to the rooftop to reach those stranded. However, with attackers still rampaging inside the building, journalists refused to come down and locked the rooftop door. Firefighters later assured them that Army personnel had arrived at the scene.
During the chaos, senior journalist Zyma Islam posted a distress message on Facebook, writing: “I can’t breathe. So much smoke. I’m inside. You are trying to kill me.”
Editors’ Council president and New Age editor Nurul Kabir, along with noted photographer Shahidul Alam, later reached the spot to calm the situation. Videos circulating online showed Kabir being harassed, called an “Awami League agent”, shoved and having his hair pulled by members of the mob.
After Army personnel opened part of the staircase, the attackers again moved upward, resuming vandalism and looting. Eventually, journalists trapped on the rooftop and inside the building were evacuated through a fire-exit staircase and taken out from the rear of the building. The rescue operation ended around 3.45 am, with at least 25 The Daily Star journalists rescued after more than four hours.
“We were lucky to escape what could have been a major tragedy,” one journalist said, adding, “I don’t know where the country is heading.”
Both Prothom Alo and The Daily Star later announced they would not bring out their Friday print editions. BBC Bangla reported that online operations were also severely disrupted after staff were asked to evacuate.
Unrest was reported from other parts of the country as well. In Dhaka’s Dhanmondi area, the cultural institution Chhayanaut was attacked after 1 am, with protesters entering from the rear, looting the premises and later setting the front portion on fire before security forces intervened.
In Rajshahi, an Awami League office was demolished using a bulldozer, while in Chattogram, protesters torched the Sholoshahar residence of former city mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury. The house had reportedly been used by his son, former education minister Mohibul Hassan Chowdhury Nowfel.
Road blockades disrupted traffic across several districts. In Jhalakathi, protesters blocked the Barisal–Khulna highway late at night, while in Barisal, students blocked multiple points along the Dhaka–Barisal–Kuakata highway, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded. Protesters were also heard raising slogans against India and the Awami League.
Student protests were reported from Dhaka and elsewhere. Demonstrations were held at Shahbagh involving leaders of the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union and other student groups. In Old Dhaka, Jagannath University students blocked roads, joined by female students from Nawab Faizunnesa Chowdhurani Hall.
Amid the escalating tensions, Inqilab Moncho issued a late-night appeal on Facebook calling for restraint. Urging people to avoid violence, vandalism and arson, the group said such actions would only weaken the country. With national elections approaching in February, the statement asked people to reflect on who would benefit from further unrest and called for cooperation with the authorities.