The attack on the Prothom Alo office was not only a dark chapter in the history of Bangladesh’s media, but also part of an attempt to silence freedom of expression and democracy.
Following the attack at midnight on 18 December last year, a case was filed at Tejgaon Police Station in Dhaka on 21 December under several provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act, the Cyber Security Act, the Special Powers Act and the Penal Code. It is deeply disappointing and concerning that the investigation has made so little progress.
A report by Prothom Alo says the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police has failed to complete its investigation even after 10 and a half months have passed since the attack, vandalism, looting and arson at the Prothom Alo building.
The identities of the planners and coordinators behind the attack remain unconfirmed. No charge sheet has been submitted either. A total of 39 people were arrested at different times in connection with the case, all of whom have since been released on bail. Even more concerning, the officer supervising the investigation says he sees little possibility of identifying any new accused.
On 28 February, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed had directed the authorities to complete a fair investigation into the attack on the Prothom Alo office and submit a charge sheet within two months. He had said the judicial process would begin and exemplary punishment would be ensured. Eight months have passed since that directive. But where does the investigation stand? The question is why the investigation could not be completed even after instructions from the highest level of the government?
At midnight on 18 December last year, a group of extremists attacked, vandalised and set fire to the offices of Prothom Alo, The Daily Star and Chhayanaut. The following day, the Udichi office was also attacked and set on fire.
These attacks were by no means isolated incidents. They were coordinated assaults on the country’s media, cultural institutions and environment for free thought. The passive role of the then-interim government and law enforcement agencies in preventing these attacks raised serious questions on multiple fronts.
All those arrested over the attack on the Prothom Alo office have been released on bail. Yet it remains unanswered who planned the attack, how it was organised and was there any financial or political support behind it? There is substantial evidence, including video footage of the attack, social media campaigns and photographs. Despite all this, the failure to identify everyone involved in the attack raises questions about both the capability and sincerity of the investigation.
The attack on the Prothom Alo office cannot be seen merely as an attack on the premises of a newspaper. In a democratic state, protecting media freedom is a constitutional responsibility of the government.
Anyone who disagrees with a media outlet’s published views or position is free to protest. But disagreement cannot be expressed by setting fire to a building, looting it or putting journalists’ lives at risk. If such crimes go unpunished, independent journalism will face even greater insecurity in the future.
We believe senior Supreme Court lawyer Shahdeen Malik was right when he described the attack on the Prothom Alo office as one of the most heinous assaults on freedom of expression in the country. The police must conduct a proper investigation and bring everyone who planned or took part in the attack to justice.
Any leniency in this regard would only encourage those seeking to undermine freedom of expression and democracy.