Attack on Prothom Alo, Daily Star offices: Govt must identify and bring perpetrators to justice, says Nahid
"Our message to the people is that the forces of the July Uprising must remain active on the ground so that no group can establish vested interests or harm Bangladesh," he says
The interim government must identify those involved in the attacks on the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star and bring them to justice, National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam said today (19 December).
Speaking to the media after visiting The Daily Star office, he said, "The incident will be recorded in history as a collective failure. Our message to the people is that the forces of the July Uprising must remain active on the ground so that no group can establish vested interests or harm Bangladesh."
He warned that attempts are underway to disrupt the election environment, adding that both political parties and the government must remain vigilant to ensure a fair atmosphere. "There is no alternative destination for Bangladesh other than elections," he said.
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Nahid Islam acknowledged that some media outlets had taken positions against Bangladesh during the fascist period, which his party has objections to.
"However, we have called for systematically addressing these issues. Ultimately, justice and good governance must be established in Bangladesh through lawful processes," he added.
Following the death of Inqilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star were vandalised, set on fire and looted on last night.
Today, leaders of the newly formed political alliance "Gonotantrik Sangskar Jote" visited the two newspaper offices in the capital's Karwan Bazar area.
During the visit, Mujibur Rahman Bhuiyan Monju, chairman of the Amar Bangladesh Party (AB Party), said there were no words to express sympathy, calling the incident a conspiracy to paralyse the country and sabotage the election.
He further said that the government has yet to conduct any operation to arrest those responsible. "This is not the time to be disheartened. Everyone must remain united."
Meanwhile, Hasnat Quaiyum, president of the Rastro Songskar Andolon, said the two newspapers had shown commitment during the uprising and were vocal during the fascist regime. "If those working against the government from within cannot be identified, the next election will be questioned," he warned.
