Members of the British Bangladeshi community in London on Sunday staged a protest against recent attacks on media houses in Bangladesh, voicing concern over growing threats to journalists and press freedom in the country.
The demonstration, held at the historic Altab Ali Park in East London, brought together journalists, media professionals, activists and members of the diaspora.
Organised by Bangla-speaking journalists, the protest focused on the recent vandalism and arson targeting the offices of leading Bangladeshi newspapers The Daily Star and Prothom Alo.
Participants described the attacks as unprecedented and unacceptable, calling them a dark chapter in Bangladesh’s media history.
Protesters alleged that the incidents involved coordinated acts of vandalism, looting and attempts to endanger the lives of journalists, and demanded an immediate and transparent investigation to identify and hold those responsible accountable, according to reports in The Dhaka Tribune.
Addressing the gathering, former BBC Bangla journalist Uday Shankar Das said that while media institutions in Bangladesh had faced attacks in the past, the scale and nature of the recent violence marked a troubling escalation.
He said disagreements were a normal part of a democratic society but warned that organised violence against the press could never be justified.
Syed Nahas Pasha, vice president of the Commonwealth Journalists Association, said the attacks had not only damaged media establishments but also posed a direct threat to journalists’ lives.
He termed the incidents a serious failure of governance and said protecting journalists and citizens was a fundamental duty of the state.
ALSO READ: Bangladesh Students’ League calls for neutral administration ahead of 2026 polls
Former London Bangla Press Club general secretary Muhammad Abdus Sattar said the Bangladeshi diaspora would not be intimidated by such attacks.
He asserted that expatriate Bangladeshis stood united and opposed any forces that undermined the spirit of the country’s Liberation War.
Protesters held placards and raised slogans in support of press freedom, stating that the rally was an expression of solidarity with journalists in Bangladesh and a call to safeguard independent media as a cornerstone of democracy.
Separately, the London Bangla Press Club issued a statement condemning the attacks on Prothom Alo, The Daily Star and other journalists and media organisations in Bangladesh.
The statement said the incidents amounted to a direct assault on press freedom, freedom of expression and the public’s right to information, warning that such actions threatened the country’s democratic progress.
