Dhaka: Editor of the Bangla daily Prothom Alo, Matiur Rahman, has issued a rallying cry for the country’s newspaper community to stand together against any attacks on media outlets. “If any newspaper comes under attack, we will collectively resist it,” Matiur Rahman declared during an event held at the Prothom Alo office in Karwan Bazar. The occasion marked the inauguration of an art exhibition titled ‘An Artwork on the Attacked and Burnt Prothom Alo Building’ by artist Mahbubur Rahman.
According to United News of Bangladesh, Matiur Rahman recalled past incidents where newspapers like ‘Jai Jai Din’ and ‘Amar Desh’ suffered attacks, prompting the Editors’ Council to issue statements condemning these actions. He emphasized the necessity of collective protest against any future threats to media outlets. While acknowledging that the media has made mistakes in the past and cannot claim absolute perfection, Rahman stressed the importance of remaining united for the greater good.
On December 18, the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star in the Karwan Bazar area of the capital were attacked, vandalized, and set ablaze by a group of miscreants. Speaking at the inauguration, The Daily Star’s Editor, Mahfuz Anam, described the arson attack on the two leading newspapers as a premeditated assault rather than an isolated incident. Anam urged the new government to conduct a thorough investigation to identify both the perpetrators and those who incited the violence, bringing them to public accountability.
President of the Newspaper Owners’ Association of Bangladesh (NOAB), AK Azad, reinforced the sentiment that no ideology can be extinguished by arson, asserting that Prothom Alo has emerged from the attack like a phoenix, with renewed vigor.
The event saw participation from representatives of the Editors’ Council, NOAB, media organizations, journalists, business leaders, artists, writers, and literary figures. The 10-day art exhibition, inaugurated on Wednesday, will continue until February 28, welcoming visitors daily from 11 am to 1 pm and 3 pm to 5 pm.