Attacks on two leading newspapers amount to an attack on the free press, says CA Yunus

Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus has spoken to the editors of leading daily newspapers Prothom Alo and The Daily Star over the phone following the attacks on their Dhaka offices.

The Chief Advisor’s Office said Yunus conveyed his deepest sympathies to Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman and Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam, stating: “This unwanted and despicable attack on your organisations and its journalists has deeply hurt me. The government stands by you in this difficult time.”

The chief advisor said this attack on two of the country's leading media organisations amounted to an attack on the free press. The incident has created a major obstacle to the path of democratic progress and independent journalism in Bangladesh, he said.

During the telephone conversation, he assured the editors and media outlets of providing full security and other necessary cooperation.

Yunus also said that he would meet the two editors soon.

The offices of The Daily Star and Prothom Alo in Karwan Bazar were vandalised and set on fire after the death of Inqilab Monchi Convenor Sharif Osman Hadi was reported on Thursday night.