A formal case has been filed against an estimated 400 to 500 unidentified individuals in connection with the violent attack on the offices of Prothom Alo, one of Bangladesh’s leading newspapers, located in Tejgaon, Dhaka. The case was lodged at Tejgaon Police Station just after midnight on Sunday, at 12:10 am. Charges have been framed under the Anti-Terrorism Act, the Special Powers Act, and relevant provisions of the Cyber Security Ordinance.
The attack occurred late on Thursday night, when a group of assailants targeted the Prothom Alo office in Karwan Bazar. They carried out widespread vandalism, looting, and arson, deliberately setting fire to multiple sections of the office and causing extensive property damage. According to the police complaint, the attackers unlawfully entered the premises with the intent to destroy evidence, create fear, and potentially endanger lives through arson.
During the assault, initial estimates placed the value of damaged and stolen property at approximately 25 million Bangladeshi Taka. However, Prothom Alo has reported that the total losses incurred amount to nearly 320 million Taka. The incident forced the newspaper to halt its print publication for the first time in its 27-year history. Its online edition was also disrupted, with operations suspended for nearly 17 hours.
The case details further reveal that a smaller group of 20 to 30 individuals initially approached the office carrying domestic weapons, sticks, and incendiary materials. Despite police efforts to intervene, the group gathered outside the premises, shouting provocative slogans and circulating inflammatory posts on social media to mobilise additional participants. Subsequently, 400–500 more individuals from across Dhaka converged on the site. By 11:50 pm, the crowd smashed the main gate’s glass and shutters, proceeding to loot, vandalise, and set fire to the office.
The assailants destroyed furniture, important documents, and electrical equipment. They also obstructed fire services and deliberately damaged CCTV cameras in an attempt to erase evidence. The police complaint notes that CCTV footage and video recordings from various media sources have been collected and will serve as key evidence in the ongoing investigation.
Authorities have pledged to pursue all legal avenues to bring the perpetrators to justice, highlighting the severity of the attack against press freedom and the rule of law in Bangladesh.