At least 30 journalists were rescued after violent protesters set fire to the offices of two of Bangladesh’s leading newspapers, The Daily Star and Prothom Alo, in Dhaka following the death of radical youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi. The journalists were trapped inside the burning buildings for hours before being evacuated by the Bangladesh Army and Fire Service.
Violent protests erupted across several cities in Bangladesh overnight after news broke of Hadi’s death. A polarising figure known for his strong anti-India rhetoric, the 32-year-old rose to prominence during the 2024 student uprising that led to the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. Hadi, the spokesperson of the Inquilab Mancha platform and a general election candidate, was shot in the head by masked assailants last Friday while launching his election campaign in Dhaka. He later died while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Singapore.
Media offices attacked as protests turn violent
As news of Hadi’s death spread, thousands of his supporters took to the streets demanding the arrest of those responsible for the killing. Several buildings in the capital were attacked, including media offices in Dhaka’s Karwan Bazar area.
The protesters vandalised the ground and first floors of The Daily Star office before setting it on fire while journalists were trapped inside. Around the same time, a group of people set fire to the Prothom Alo newspaper office after chanting slogans outside the building.
It began with an attack on the Bengali-language daily Prothom Alo, where the crowd gathered shortly before midnight and set the building on fire. Soon after, a phone call warned The Daily Star staff that a mob was heading towards their premises, a journalist told bdnews24.
The newsroom staff attempted to move downstairs, but the mob had already begun vandalising the lower floors before setting the building ablaze.
Journalists trapped amid smoke and flames
As smoke filled the building, journalists inside struggled to escape. The Daily Star reporter Zyma Islam posted a desperate message on Facebook during the ordeal.
“I can’t breathe anymore,” she wrote. “There’s too much smoke. I’m inside. You are killing me.”
With exits blocked, night shift staff reportedly moved to the terrace to save their lives. According to bdnews24, at least 25 journalists from The Daily Star were rescued over four hours after the mob attack.
Although the fire was brought under control around 2 am, it took several more hours to evacuate the journalists as protesters continued charging towards the building.
Army-led evacuation brings journalists to safety
The Bangladesh Army and Fire Service eventually managed to evacuate all trapped journalists to safety. Army personnel were later deployed in front of The Daily Star building to prevent further violence.
“All The Daily Star staff have just been successfully evacuated to a safe place, thanks to the Bangladesh Army and the Fire Service,” staff member Mahmud Hasan wrote on social media, praising the rescue effort. “Special thanks to an army major whose valor today matched that of “Major Rana,” the iconic fictional hero from Masud Rana series created by Kazi Anwar Hossain, for leading the evacuation operation,” he added.
Meanwhile, Editors’ Council President and New Age editor Nurul Kabir was also targeted during the unrest. Videos from the scene showed a violent mob pulling Kabir’s hair and thrashing him.
It remains unclear why Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, both known for their passive support of Muhammad Yunus and his interim government, were targeted during the protests.
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