BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed calls newspaper attacks ‘a shame for the nation’

BNP Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed has condemned recent arson attacks on two leading newspapers, calling the incidents a “shame for the nation” and questioning the government’s handling of the situation.

BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said on Sunday that the attacks on The Daily Star and Prothom Alo had drawn international attention and reflected poorly on the country.

Speaking at a meeting with editors and senior journalists in Dhaka, ahead of the planned return of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, Salahuddin said an apology alone was insufficient.

“As a nation, this is a matter of shame for us. We cannot simply end it with an apology and an expression of regret,” he said.

Salahuddin Ahmed described newspapers and the wider media as a reflection of a nation’s conscience, saying they shape public opinion and hold those in power to account.

“That mirror has now been shattered,” he said, adding that journalists must not be allowed to lose their role or dignity.

He alleged that the government failed to take preventive action despite intelligence warnings following the killing of activist Sharif Osman Hadi, which he said indicated that such attacks on the media were possible.

“There should have been predictions, intelligence reports and preparations to prevent it,” he said, questioning why those warnings were not acted upon.

Mr Ahmed also raised concerns about the response time of law enforcement agencies, claiming it took one to two hours for police to respond after being informed of the incidents.

“The role of those responsible for running the state and ensuring a neutral election process is now questionable,” he said.

He added that attacks on media organisations were not unprecedented and said several outlets had faced pressure in recent months. He warned against what he described as the rise of “mob rule”, saying that a failure to uphold democratic order risked allowing lawlessness to spread.

Authorities have yet to comment in detail on the allegations. Investigations into the attacks are continuing.