London protest condemns attacks on Bangladeshi media
In East London, Altab Ali Park on a quiet Sunday afternoon became the backdrop for a strong message in support of press freedom. Journalists, arts practitioners, and members of the British Bangladeshi community protest the recent violent attacks on two of Bangladesh’s most prominent newspapers, The Daily Star and Prothom Alo.
Describing the attacks as “unprecedented” and “unacceptable,” speakers at the demonstration decried the incidents as a “black day” in Bangladesh’s media history. They warned that they represented a dangerous ratcheting up of hostility toward independent journalism.
The protest had been organised by Bengali-speaking journalists based in London, with a cross-section of people joining in worry over vandalism, arson, theft and reported assassination attempts on the lives of journalists as media houses were being attacked in Bangladesh. The attacks were not just one-off acts of violence but indicative of a larger campaign of intimidation to silence anyone critical, participants said.
Speakers constantly emphasised that the affected media have always been a flag-bearer of independent, objective, and responsible journalism. They cited these values as making journalists increasingly vulnerable.
Speaking at the gathering, former BBC Bangla journalist Uday Shankar Das said both Bangladesh’s media have been pressurised in the past, but that this violence kicked off a disturbing new chapter. “Divergence of opinion is natural in a democratic society,” he added, “but organised violence against media houses and media personnel can never be defended or condoned. Many in the crowd, who waved banners calling for justice and accountability, clapped when he spoke.
Syed Nahas Pasha, vice president of the Commonwealth Journalists Association, cautioned that the attacks extended well beyond damage to buildings or property. “Journalists’ lives were placed directly at risk,” he said in response, calling the episode “a total management failure of the most serious kind.” “The state has a primary duty to ensure the safety of citizens, and especially journalists; this is not supposed to be an election issue but a collective responsibility by the state,” he insisted.
The impact has rippled back to the Bangladeshi diaspora, where voices have chimed to offer up messages of resilience and unity. Muhammad Abdus Sattar, former General Secretary of the London Bangla Press Club, said that the attacks would not deter journalists in Bangladesh or abroad. “Overseas Bangladeshis are always together,” he said. “We don’t want the forces against the spirit of the Liberation War to gain their strength in our country.”
‘It’s not true’ In Dhaka, broadcast journalist and writer Bulbul Hasan also led Monday’s protest that drew senior journalists, freedom fighters, and writers as well as community leaders. The attendees included Prothom Alo’s UK correspondent, Saidul Islam, Nilufar Hasan, Urmee Mazher, Abu Musa Hasan, freedom fighter Luqueman Hussain, Hamid Mohammad, Ansar Ahmed Ullah, Sarwar E Alam, A S M Masum (on behalf of Sandhani), Rupi Amin and S M Tanvir Ahmed. Their presence highlighted the range of concern bridging generations and professions.
As chants in defence of press freedom echoed around the park, participants said they saw the event as both a show of solidarity with journalists in Bangladesh and a warning about how fragile democratic principles are when media rights are threatened.
And forced to flee. Meanwhile, the London Bangla Press Club expressed outrage over the attacks on Prothom Alo, The Daily Star and other journalists/editors in Bangladesh. The statement lamented that arson, vandalism, and physical attacks have posed a direct threat to press freedom, freedom of expression and the public’s right to information.
The message from London was unequivocal: independent media is not just an industry but a fundamental pillar of democracy. When journalists are attacked, democracy is wounded — and silence, the protesters said, is not an option.