Staff Reporter :
Religious Affairs Adviser AFM Khalid Hossain on Sunday said several individuals involved in attacks on The Daily Star and Prothom Alo have been identified.
Speaking to journalists at the Secretariat, the adviser said intelligence reports had confirmed the identities of a number of people involved in setting fire to the two media houses. “Steps have already been taken to arrest those responsible and bring them to justice,” he said.
He added that efforts were ongoing to prevent such incidents, noting that ensuring police presence at every establishment in advance was not always possible. “Often, it is difficult to predict where an attack may occur. That is why we consistently discourage such acts,” he said.
Referring to the attack on Chhayanaut, Khalid Hossain said determining who made what statements was not within his jurisdiction. However, he stressed that the government could never accept arson attacks on government-approved institutions or the killing of people by burning. He described such acts as heinous crimes and said the authorities were committed to ensuring punishment for those responsible.
When asked whether the simultaneous attacks on Prothom Alo, The Daily Star, Chhayanaut and other locations across the country indicated an intelligence failure, the adviser said it would not be appropriate for him to categorise it as such.
Commenting on the mob attack in Mymensingh, he said taking the law into one’s own hands posed a serious challenge to good governance. “This is a deeply condemnable and brutal act. We will not allow mob justice. It is a major obstacle to establishing good governance,” he said.
He added that he had sent a message to the home affairs adviser requesting action against those involved in the killing of a man in Mymensingh and the subsequent burning of the body.
Garment worker Dipu Chandra Das was beaten to death by a mob in Bhaluka upazila of Mymensingh on 18 December over allegations of blasphemy. His body was later set on fire.
Responding to another question, Khalid Hossain claimed that the overall law and order situation was now under control.
He acknowledged that violent incidents were still occurring but expressed hope that, given the current situation, elections would be held on time in a free, fair, inclusive and festive manner.
Addressing allegations of incitement from abroad, the adviser said comments made from outside the country were beyond the direct control of the Bangladesh government. He noted that such statements were often made on open platforms like Meta and YouTube, which the government could not directly regulate, adding that abusive comments were also frequently posted from within the country.
