On December 18, 2025, around midnight, an angry mob of several hundred protesters stormed the Prothom Alo headquarters in Dhaka's Karwan Bazar area, vandalizing the building by smashing windows, destroying furniture, and dragging documents outside to set ablaze.The attackers, reportedly from Shahbagh following the death of Inqilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi, climbed multiple floors and trapped journalists inside amid thick smoke. The violence quickly spread to the nearby Daily Star office at Farmgate, where similar destruction and arson occurred.
Police from Tejgaon Industrial Area station arrived but struggled to control the crowd initially, with army personnel, RAB, and fire services deploying around 12:35 AM to rescue trapped staff using cranes. Flames at the Daily Star were doused by 1:40-3:48 AM, while Prothom Alo's fire raged longer with black smoke billowing. No casualties were reported, though extensive damage was inflicted on both media outlets.
The incident has sparked outrage over threats to press freedom in Bangladesh, with authorities yet to identify perpetrators. Prothom Alo and Daily Star condemned the attacks as assaults on journalism, amid ongoing political tensions.Investigations are underway as the media community calls for swift justice.
