Attacks on Prothom Alo, Daily Star: 9 arrested, 31 identified

At least nine people have been arrested, and 31 individuals preliminarily identified as of Monday morning in connection with recent attacks on the offices of national dailies Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, as well as two cultural organisations.

The development followed operations conducted by law enforcement agencies in Dhaka and other parts of the country, according to a post on Chief Adviser’ Facebook page on Monday.

Among those arrested, the identities of seven have been immediately confirmed: Md Kashem Faruk, Md Saidur Rahman, Rakib Hossain, Md Naim, Faisal Ahmed Pranto, Md Sohel Rana, and Md Shafiqul Islam. In addition, the police’s Counter-Terrorism Unit and Intelligence Branch arrested two more individuals, whose identities are currently under verification.

The post stated that police and other law enforcement agencies informed Professor Yunus on Sunday that, based on video footage analysis, 31 people have been preliminarily identified as suspects in the recent incidents. Furthermore, in Chattogram, three individuals attempting to create disorder near the residence of India’s Assistant High Commissioner have been identified through video footage.

Kashem Faruk is a former student of Al-Jamia Al-Islamia Kasemul Uloom Madrasa in Bogura and a resident of Mohammadpur, Dhaka. Md Saidur Rahman hails from Noakanda village in Bhanga Upazila, Faridpur. Rakib Hossain, a resident of Sherpur, was identified in video footage as actively participating in vandalism and arson at the Prothom Alo and The Daily Star offices; he allegedly posted images of the debris on social media and shared provocative content from his account.

Md Naim, from Kunipara, Tejgaon, Dhaka, was arrested with Tk 50,000 from Chouddogram Upazila, Comilla. During preliminary questioning, he admitted to looting a total of Tk 123,000, which he used to buy a TV and a refrigerator from Mohammadpur; the items have since been recovered. Md Sohel Rana, arrested from the Karwan Bazar railway line area in Dhaka, faces 13 cases under various laws, including drug-related offenses, across multiple police stations in Dhaka. Md Shafiqul Islam, also arrested from the same area, has previously been accused in two cases of arson and grenade attacks.

Preliminary questioning of the other arrested individuals is ongoing.