Article 19 condemns attacks on Prothom Alo, Daily Star offices; cites govt’s failure to act

UK-based rights body Article 19 has said Prothom Alo and The Daily Star have both faced sustained threats from political, religious and cultural extremist groups in recent times. 

"These latest attacks, unfolding just months before the national elections scheduled for 12 February 2026, expose a deeply troubling escalation of hostility, intimidation, and violence against journalists, media outlets, and cultural practitioners – and highlight the interim government's alarming failure to provide protection," it said in a statement today (19 December). 

"The scale of the violence forced both newspapers to suspend their Friday print and online editions – an unprecedented disruption for two of the nation's most influential media institutions," Article 19 said.

Also, New Age Editor Nurul Kabir's harassment underscores the growing boldness of those targeting journalists in the absence of adequate state protection, it added. 

Attack on Chhayanaut, a symbol of the country's artistic heritage, reflects a broader surge in violence against cultural spaces, artists, and cultural activists nationwide, the statement said. 

"The escalating pattern of aggression reveals an increasingly unsafe environment for those engaged in journalism, cultural expression, and civic discourse."  

These incidents do not occur in isolation; they take place within a long-standing culture of impunity in Bangladesh, Article 19 said, adding that the state's failure to prosecute perpetrators has emboldened attackers and normalised the targeting of critical voices, it added.  

"The interim government's inaction and inability to prevent or contain the violence, despite repeated prior warnings, represent a severe dereliction of duty and signal a dangerous erosion of public trust and democratic accountability," it added.  

Bangladesh has clear legal obligations under international human rights instruments, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and Bangladesh's own constitutin that oblige the state to protect the rights to freedom of expression, media freedom, peaceful assembly, and personal security. 

"The attacks on journalists, media houses, and cultural institutions – and the government's failure to prevent or respond effectively to them – stand in stark violation of these national and international commitments."

Article 19 called on the interim government to ensure immediate and robust protection for all journalists and cultural institutions by deploying adequate security and taking swift and legal actions against those responsible. 

"Any failure to act decisively will deepen the crisis, further entrench impunity, and jeopardise the integrity of the electoral environment ahead of the 2026 national elections."