Authorities arrest 38 individuals following an extremist attack on Prothom Alo’s Dhaka office, with efforts ongoing to identify more suspects.
Authorities have arrested 38 individuals connected to an extremist attack on the Prothom Alo building in Karwan Bazar, Dhaka, on December 18, 2025. The attack involved vandalism, looting, and arson. [source]
The arrests followed a review of video footage, still images, and live videos from social media. Efforts continue to identify additional attackers involved in the incident. [source]
The attack on Prothom Alo was part of a series of coordinated assaults that also targeted The Daily Star and Chhayanaut offices. Some attackers moved from Prothom Alo to The Daily Star building on the same night. [source]
Among those arrested, 26 were linked to the Prothom Alo case, while 12 individuals initially detained for the attack on The Daily Star were later implicated in the Prothom Alo incident. [source]
One suspect, Mohammad Mainul Islam, was captured on video celebrating with an axe in front of the burning Prothom Alo building. He was arrested in Dhaka’s Uttara area. [source]
Qari Muaz Bin Abdur Rahman, another suspect, was seen declaring the demolition of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star in a video. He is identified as a leader of the Jubo Majlis in Shariatpur. [source]
Niaz Mahmud Farhan, who shared photos of the attack on social media, was also arrested. He called on others to join the attack from the scene. [source]
Zakir Hossain Shanto, involved in the vandalism at both Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, was arrested by CTTC. He shared a live video of the attack on Facebook. [source]
"What we were supposed to do on 5 August, we could not. Today we have done it through the blessing of Hadi bhai." – Qari Muaz Bin Abdur Rahman
Sources
- https://en.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/rabfpiilsf — Details of the attack, arrests, and ongoing investigation