New Age Editor Nurul Kabir harassed by protesters near Daily Star office
As he tried to approach The Daily Star office, he was stopped on the main road by the group of demonstrators
Nurul Kabir, the editor of the daily newspaper New Age, was harassed and shoved by a group of protesters in the early hours of Friday (19 December) as he attempted to reach The Daily Star office, which had been set on fire amid demonstrations following the death of Inqilab Mancha Spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi.
According to witnesses and colleagues present at the scene, Kabir rushed to the area after learning of the attacks on two of the country's leading newspapers – Prothom Alo and The Daily Star – around Thursday midnight.
As he tried to approach The Daily Star office, he was stopped on the main road by the group of demonstrators.
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Although army personnel, present there to maintain law and order, attempted to escort him through the agitated crowd, both Kabir and the soldiers reportedly faced hostility.
Witnesses said the protesters verbally harassed Kabir, who is also the president of the Editors' Council, and attempted to physically assault him, while some of them accused him of being a collaborator of the Awami League.
After several minutes of scuffling and intervention by security personnel, Kabir managed to enter The Daily Star premises, where he sought information about the condition of the newspaper's employees.
Colleagues and witnesses who remain outside the Daily Star office recounted the incident to The Business Standard, describing the situation as tense and volatile.
The incident sparked widespread criticism on social media.
A group of angry protesters attacked a Prothom Alo building at Karwan Bazar and the office of The Daily Star near Farmgate around Thursday midnight after the news of Hadi's death spread.
The demonstrators vandalised and set both buildings on fire. No casualties have been reported so far.
