In the midst of the political and extra-political turbulence of the last few days, the attack on the head offices of two national dailies, Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, in Dhaka will go down as one of the most tragic and shameful incidents in the history of the country's media industry. On Thursday, following the death of Shafi Osman Hadi, scores of people ransacked the offices of both the newspapers and set the buildings ablaze, forcing journalists and staff to flee for their lives. Dozens of journalists were trapped for hours on the rooftop of The Daily Star building as one floor after another below was engulfed in flames. They were eventually rescued with the help of the Army, fire services and the police. The mob also assaulted Nurul Kabir, the editor of New Age, who had rushed to the scene to stand in solidarity with the targeted media houses.
Media houses in Bangladesh have always been under pressure from state and non-state actors, but such wanton and reckless acts of vandalism, arson attack and harassment of journalists is unprecedented in the country's history. What is even more surprising is the fact that the police did not stop the mob as they attacked the offices of the two of the most widely read newspapers in the country. They acted like onlookers. No responsible citizen would condone these barbaric acts. It can only evoke utter revulsion and condemnation.
Even, Osman Hadi would not have supported such acts of vandalism. He has been widely praised for organising his campaign for a new political settlement peacefully. A video clip doing the rounds on social media shows Hadi saying, "We do not support those who are taking up positions in front of the Prothom Alo office. Every newspaper has its ideology. What is your job in front of the Prothom Alo office? Establish 10 Prothom Alos, if you can."
There is no justification for the attack on the media houses, other than silencing independent journalism. Osman Hadi succumbed to the bullet wound he received last week. What is the media's fault? The failure to ensure Hadi's security and to apprehend his assailants is a failure of the government, particularly the home adviser and the police force. Why were the newspaper offices and journalists working there targeted? Is it an attempt to make them a scapegoat for someone else's failure?
Many also view it as a deliberate plot to derail the country's democratic transition by disrupting the upcoming elections. As mobs have been treated with kid gloves since the interim government assumed power, it has grown into a monster, creating a serious law-and-order crisis that the government now appears unable to control. And if the vested quarters can target virtually anyone by inciting mob under this government, naturally they will aim to foil the election and prolong the current government's tenure.
The Chief Adviser and most of the advisers in the interim government are known as staunch advocates of press freedom. How, then, could such a despicable act of violence against media houses and journalists occur under a government that has pledged to uphold press freedom? In an environment where media and journalists are already intimidated through routine violence, murder, false cases and arbitrary arrests, such attacks expose the hollowness of the government's claims of a 'free media'. One can only hope that there is no gap between the government's promises and its actions.
Press freedom in its truest sense is a lofty goal that must be attained to consolidate democracy and also establish the rule of law. It sounds very nice when government high-ups express their great determination to uphold press freedom. However, the question of freedom arises only when journalists can perform their duties honourably and safely. If journalists become the punching bag of the mob and if the mob is allowed to teach media houses how to report objectively, the press cannot enjoy the freedom so generously bestowed on it by the interim government.
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