Chaos in Dhaka! Protesters assault New Age Editor, burn down newspaper offices amid deadly unrest

During the unrest, a group of agitators vandalised the office of the prominent English-language daily and set parts of the building on fire.

Following the incident, Nurul Kabir—who also serves as president of the executive committee of the Editors’ Council, an organisation representing newspaper editors—arrived at the scene. While attempting to intervene and stop the attackers, he was allegedly assaulted by a group of protesters, according to a report by Dhaka Tribune.

Several videos of the incident have since gone viral on social media. In the footage, Kabir can be seen being pushed and jostled by a group of agitators, while some protesters are heard accusing him of being an “Awami League collaborator.”

Sharif Osman Hadi death sparks unrest

Violent protests erupted across several Bangladeshi cities following the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, a political leader who rose to prominence during the July–August 2024 uprising that led to the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Hadi, known for his strong anti-India rhetoric, was the spokesperson of the political platform Inqilab Moncho. He died late Thursday night, six days after being shot in the head by unidentified masked attackers. The attack reportedly occurred while he was launching his election campaign in Dhaka ahead of the upcoming general elections.

After confirmation of his death, Hadi’s supporters took to the streets of Dhaka and other cities, demanding the immediate arrest of those responsible.

Media offices targeted

In Dhaka, protesters set fire to multiple buildings, including the offices of leading newspapers The Daily Star and Prothom Alo. Several journalists and staff members were inside The Daily Star building at the time of the attack.

According to The Daily Star, six firefighting units were deployed and managed to bring the blaze under control by 1:40 am.

In the Kawran Bazar area, protesters surrounded the Prothom Alo office and staged demonstrations. Police reportedly failed to disperse the crowd, leading to escalating tensions. As per Dhaka Tribune, protesters armed with sticks and rods began vandalising the premises around 11:45 pm, shattering most of the building’s windows.