DHAKA, Dec 19: Dhaka and several other cities in Bangladesh witnessed an uneasy calm on Friday morning after a night of intense violence triggered by the death of Inqilab Moncho convenor Sharif Osman bin Hadi. Protests quickly escalated into widespread unrest, with mobs targeting media offices, political establishments, cultural institutions and private residences, leaving journalists traumatised and large parts of the country on edge.
One of the gravest incidents occurred in Dhaka’s Karwan Bazar area, where protesters attacked the offices of leading newspapers The Daily Star and Prothom Alo. According to BD News24, after vandalising the Prothom Alo premises, a mob moved towards The Daily Star building, smashing property and setting parts of it on fire. Thick smoke engulfed the lower floors, forcing journalists to flee upwards, with at least 28 people trapped on the rooftop for several hours.
Fire Service personnel later managed to control the blaze and evacuate those stranded, though the operation was repeatedly disrupted by continued vandalism. At least 25 journalists were rescued after more than four hours, with the evacuation completed around 3:45 am. Senior journalists attempting to calm the crowd were reportedly harassed and assaulted. Following the attacks, both newspapers announced suspension of their Friday print editions, while online operations were also severely affected.
Violence spread beyond Karwan Bazar. In Dhaka’s Dhanmondi area, the renowned cultural institution Chhayanaut was vandalised and partially set on fire. In Rajshahi, protesters demolished an Awami League office using a bulldozer, while in Chattogram, the residence of former city mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury’s family was torched. Protesters also staged a sit-in outside the Indian Assistant High Commission in Chattogram.
Road blockades and arson were reported across multiple districts, including Barisal and Jhalakathi, disrupting traffic for hours. Student protests erupted in Dhaka, with demonstrations at Shahbagh, Jagannath University and Old Dhaka, where protesters raised slogans against the Awami League and India.
Amid growing concern over the scale of violence, Inqilab Moncho issued a late-night appeal urging restraint and warning that vandalism and arson would weaken the country. As security forces increased their presence and normalcy slowly returned, fears remained over press freedom, public safety and political stability as Bangladesh approaches the upcoming elections.
