Prothom Alo sues 500 over attack on its office

A case has been filed against 400-500 unidentified individuals over the attack, vandalism, looting, and arson at the Prothom Alo office in Karwan Bazar, Dhaka, officials confirmed on Monday, December 22.

Tejgaon Division Deputy Commissioner (DC) Ibne Mizan confirmed the filing of the case by Prothom Alo, which was registered under various sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act, Special Powers Act, and Cyber Security Ordinance.

According to the FIR, the incident began around 11:15 pm on Thursday, when 20-30 unidentified miscreants gathered in front of the Prothom Alo office, carrying country-made weapons, sticks, and flammable materials. Police attempted to intervene, but the group continued to assemble, reportedly raising inflammatory slogans. The attackers further mobilized others via phone calls and provocative social media posts, swelling their numbers.

By 11:50 pm, the crowd – estimated at 400-500 people from different parts of Dhaka – broke the glass curtain and shutters of the office gate and forcibly entered the building, causing widespread vandalism, looting, and arson.

The attackers smashed front glass, threw furniture and important documents, and set parts of the office on fire. They looted more than 150 computers, laptops, electrical equipment, cash from lockers, and books from multiple floors. In addition, the office firefighting system was destroyed, and CCTV cameras were vandalized to hinder evidence collection. Miscreants also obstructed fire service personnel attempting to control the blaze.

The complaint states the value of looted assets at approximately Tk 2.5 crore, while Prothom Alo authorities estimate total losses, including vandalism and arson, at around Tk 3.20 crore.

The attack on the daily’s office has sparked widespread concern about press safety and freedom of expression in the capital.