The Human Rights and Cultural Advocacy Organisation, the Manobadhikar O Shongskriti Foundation (MSF), has voiced profound concern over a spate of recent attacks, vandalism, and arson targeting media outlets and cultural institutions across the country. According to MSF, the government’s apparent inaction and tacit indifference have emboldened certain groups to operate with impunity, undermining both social cohesion and political stability.
In an official statement signed by the foundation’s founder and chairperson, Sultana Kamal, MSF emphasised that ensuring a safe and secure environment for journalists should be a top priority for any government. She stressed that those responsible for these violent incidents must be swiftly identified and held accountable under the law.
The alarm was heightened following attacks last Thursday night on the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, incidents that left journalists in a state of fear and panic, with some forced to scream for their lives. Around the same time, Nurul Kabir, editor of New Age, was also subjected to harassment. Similar attacks and acts of vandalism have been reported at Prothom Alo offices in various districts, a pattern that MSF described as utterly unacceptable.
MSF further reported that cultural institutions were not spared: on the same day, the Chayanta cultural centre suffered attacks and vandalism, followed by an arson incident at the Udichi office on Friday night. The foundation warned that the government’s silence and lack of responsibility have given rogue groups the freedom to operate as “mobs,” not only destabilising society but also threatening the integrity of upcoming electoral processes. Continued incidents of this nature could severely erode public trust and compromise social security.
The statement underscored that while personal disagreements may exist, using them as a pretext to destroy institutions constitutes a direct attack on press freedom, free expression, and independent thought. MSF warned that such acts send a dire signal to the nation’s democracy and governance. Despite public assurances from interim government officials regarding the importance of objective journalism and media independence, the failure to protect journalists and cultural activists has raised serious questions about the government’s effectiveness and fairness in the eyes of citizens.