Mob attacks on the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star in Dhaka on 18 December 2025, following the killing of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi, have drawn widespread condemnation from UN experts, Human Rights Watch, and regional media networks, highlighting a deepening crisis of impunity and threats to press freedom in Bangladesh under the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus.
A United Nations expert expressed outrage over violent mob attacks on the offices of The Daily Star and Prothom Alo in Dhaka on 18 December 2025, triggered by the killing of Sharif Osman Hadi, underscoring impunity at the core of escalating violence against media in Bangladesh.
UN Expert Condemns Orchestrated Attacks on Media Outlets
Violent mobs set fire to the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star in Dhaka on 18 December following the killing of Sharif Osman Hadi, according to Sapan News reporting. The UN expert on human rights defenders strongly condemned the targeted killing of Hadi as well as the orchestrated mob violence against independent journalists and media outlets, as stated in an OHCHR press release. Human Rights Watch also condemned the violence against journalists and media, in addition to attacks on cultural organisations like Chhayanaut, which was vandalised and set ablaze, Sapan News reported.
As reported by Sapan News for the Southasia Peace Action Network, the attacks mark a direct assault on press freedom and democratic values.
Regional and International Outcry Over Press Freedom Violations
The South Asia Media Defenders Network (SAMDEN), Rural Journalists’ Network of Pakistan, and others issued a statement on 22 December demanding the immediate and unconditional release of more than 100 journalists detained in Bangladesh without trial, according to Sapan News. The Editors Guild of India, in a 23 December press release, noted that the assault on the editor of New Age and Editors’ Council President Nurul Kabir, along with mob attacks on Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, represent a serious escalation in violence against media, Sapan News stated. The Guild called on the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government to ensure journalists’ safety and take quick action against perpetrators.
Endorsements and Statements from Press Clubs
The Press Club of India and Karachi Press Club expressed deep concern and strong condemnation of the violence, as cited in the Sapan News statement endorsed by some 40 media professionals and individuals. Reuters reported on 22 December that Bangladesh editors warned of a ‘fight for survival’ as mob violence targets media, highlighting the severity of the threats faced by the press.
Broader Implications for Media Safety and Governance
Peoples Dispatch reported claims by the Workers Party of Bangladesh that such attacks on journalists are attempts to undermine secularism amid mob violence, with the interim government accused of pushing the country towards civil war. The collective regional responses emphasise the urgent need for protection of media workers, with Human Rights Watch and UN statements pointing to a pattern of intimidation and physical assaults that jeopardise independent journalism in Bangladesh.
Reported developments reveal a surge in mob violence against media outlets and journalists in Bangladesh since 18 December 2025, prompting unified calls from UN bodies, rights groups, and regional networks for accountability, protection, and the release of detained reporters.
