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Bengali media professionals based in the United Kingdom gathered in a powerful show of solidarity today to protest the recent wave of violence directed at Bangladesh’s leading news outlets, Prothom Alo and The Daily Star. The rally, held at the historic Altab Ali Park in East London, brought together journalists, cultural activists, and community leaders from across the city to denounce the arson, looting, and physical intimidation faced by editorial staff in Dhaka.
Addressing the crowd, veteran journalists described the coordinated assaults as a dark chapter in the history of the Bangladeshi press. Speakers condemned the attempts to set fire to media offices, characterizing the violence not merely as an attack on property, but as a direct attempt to silence independent voices through lethal force. The demonstrators called for an immediate and transparent investigation into the incidents, demanding that the perpetrators be held accountable to prevent a culture of impunity from taking root.
Uday Sankar Das, a former senior journalist at BBC Bangla, described the events of last Thursday night as unprecedented. He noted that while the media has faced challenges in the past, the organized and violent nature of these latest attacks marks a dangerous escalation. He emphasized that while ideological differences are a natural part of any democracy, resorting to violence is an unacceptable breach of civil norms.
Echoing these sentiments, Syed Nahas Pasha, Vice President of the Commonwealth Journalists Association, argued that the safety of journalists is now under grave threat. He remarked that the scale of the attacks reflects a troubling breakdown in the rule of law, reminding the government that its primary obligation is to ensure the security of its citizens and the protection of private property.
Abdus Sattar, former General Secretary of the London Bangla Press Club, remained defiant during his address. He asserted that the journalist community would not be intimidated by such tactics. He noted that the Bangladeshi diaspora remains united and vigilant against any forces seeking to undermine the foundational spirit and values of the liberation war.
The protest, moderated by journalist and author Bulbul Hasan, featured a wide array of speakers including freedom fighter Lokman Hossain and Prothom Alo’s UK representative Saidul Islam. Other notable attendees and speakers included Nilufar Hasan, Urmi Mazhar, Abu Musa Hasan, Hamid Mohammad, Ansar Ahmed Ullah, Sarwar E Alam, ASM Masum, Rupi Amin, SM Tanveer Ahmed, Anwarul Islam Abhi, Khandaker Saifuzzaman Suman, Ahad Chowdhury Babu, Abdul Hannan, Md. Kaiyum, Smriti Azad, Abdur Rashid, and Azizul Ambia.
The gathering concluded with a collective vow to continue monitoring the situation in Bangladesh closely, ensuring that the international community remains informed of the threats facing the fourth estate.
