At least 25 journalists were rescued after a mob attacked The Daily Star headquarters in Dhaka’s Kawran Bazar and set parts of the building on fire.
Protesters earlier vandalised and torched Prothom Alo, accusing both newspapers of being pro-India and supportive of Sheikh Hasina.
The attacks followed widespread arson in Dhaka after news of Osman Hadi’s death triggered fresh unrest.
Mob Attacks Daily Star Office in Dhaka, Journalists Rescued After Hours
Violence escalates in Bangladesh after Osman Hadi’s death, media houses targeted.
Summary
As the violence in Bangladesh continues, at least 25 journalists were rescued more than four hours after a mob attacked the newspaper The Daily Star's headquarters in Kawran Bazar, Dhaka, according to local news reports.
Around 12 a.m. on Friday, the mob gathered at the office of the English-language daily. The report further stated that earlier, demonstrators had stormed the Bengali-language daily Prothom Alo, vandalising and setting the premises on fire while yelling slogans.
The demonstrators accused the two publications, which are among the biggest in Bangladesh, of supporting neighbouring India, where Sheikh Hasina has sought asylum.
Daily Star reporter Zyma Islam said she was trapped inside the burning building. Posting on Facebook, she wrote: "I can't breathe anymore. There's too much smoke. I am inside. You are killing me."
This came after multiple incidents of arson were reported in Dhaka early Friday after news of Osman Hadi’s death spread, according to a spokesperson for the Fire Brigade and Civil Defence.
Among the fires were one at the Daily Star building and another at Prothom Alo's workspace.
With inputs from AFP.
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