The Newspaper Owners' Association of Bangladesh (Noab) has expressed deep concern over recent incidents of vandalism and tension in front of some of the country's media offices, stating that freedom of press is under serious attack.

The organisation strongly condemned such incidents in a statement today, signed by its President AK Azad.

"Incidents of sit-ins, attacks and vandalism have occurred in front of the offices of Prothom Alo and Daily Star. For the past two days, some people have been trying to create chaos by gathering in front of the Prothom Alo head office in Karwan Bazar. Later, police dispersed them. Such programmes continued even today," said Noab.

Noab believes that if someone has any objection to any news or editorial policy presented by a newspaper, they can express their intellectual position and statement in writing. "But such attempts at creating chaos are disrupting the media and the practice of journalism."

The organisation called on the government to strictly suppress mob justice in all institutions, including the media.

Noab also urged all parties concerned to refrain from activities that jeaopardise media freedom.

The statement came against the backdrop of five people being detained yesterday after the police removed protesters who were attempting to hold a mass feast in front of the Bangla daily Prothom Alo's office in the capital's Karwan Bazar area.

A group of people, comprising teachers and students of various Islamic institutes, had gathered in front of the office in the afternoon to protest what they called the newspaper leaning towards Indian hegemony.

Earlier, a protest programme was held on Thursday under the same banner.

The following day, a protest over a similar accusation was held in front of English newspaper The Daily Star's office.

There it was announced that cows would be slaughtered and a feast would be held in front of both the newspapers' offices.

Demra's Dr. Mahbubur Rahman Molla College (DMRC) Principal Obaidullah Nayan said, we did not think that students could do such a thing. They destroyed our everything. There is no alternative to diverting students to college to divert them from conflicts and conflicts. Evil circles are working to capitalize on students. If this cannot be controlled, the country will go the other way. We do not want attacks on educational institutions.

At the time, he claimed that the college suffered a loss of about Tk. 50-60 crore  in the attack by students from several colleges including Kabi Nazrul Government College and Suhrawardy College in the capital.

He made this claim during a briefing for media personnel at the college campus on Monday (November 25) afternoon.

Obaidullah Nayan said, no glass of our 12-storey building is left intact in the attack by students. 5 lifts, computers and science labs have been reduced to rubble. The attackers looted cash, students' necessary documents, certificates, over 3000 fans, about 30 laptops, numerous computers and other valuable and necessary items. We learned last night that an attack could happen today. But we did not understand that such a situation would happen.

He said, we did not think that students could do such a thing. They have destroyed everything of us. There is no alternative to diverting students from conflicts and conflicts to college. Evil circles are working to capitalize on students. If this cannot be controlled, the country will go the other way. We do not want attacks on educational institutions.

The DMRC principal also complained that the law enforcement agencies did not play a proper role during the attack. He said, members of various forces, including the police, were present since morning to maintain law and order. But during the attack, they watched the situation from a far. No action was taken against the attackers.

DMP Deputy Police Commissioner (Wari Division) Md. Saleh Uddin, who was at the scene, told the media that students are the future of the country. We do not want any educational institution in the country to be attacked like this. Whether it is a college vs. college competition or a fight, we never want it. I will tell the governing bodies and parents of all colleges, keep your children at home. This will be resolved through discussion. We request the appropriate authorities, everyone should be careful so that such problems do not happen in the future.

He said, we sat with them at 4 pm. We are trying to resolve it through discussion. We will continue this with all our strength. Currently, RAB and army members are with us. The situation is normal now due to everyone's efforts. 

Dhaka: After the students of Suhrawardy College and Kabi Nazrul Government College in the capital clashed with students of Dr. Mahbubur Rahman Molla College, 6 platoons of BGB have been deployed in the Jatrabari-Demra area to control the law and order situation.

The BGB was deployed at 3:30 pm on Monday (November 25).

BGB Public Relations Officer Md. Shariful Islam confirmed the matter to the media. He said that 6 platoons of BGB have been deployed in the Jatrabari-Demra area of the capital to control the law and order situation.

Since Monday (November 25) morning, the area turned into a battlefield due to repeated clashes between students of Mahbubur Rahman Molla College (DMRC), Kabi Nazrul and Suhrawardy College. Around 12 noon, thousands of students of Shaheed Suhrawardy College and Kabi Nazrul College gathered and took out a protest march against Dr. Mahbubur Rahman Mollah College was attacked. More than 50 students were injured in the clash and are undergoing treatment in the hospital.

The police have filed a case against a total of 8,000 students from various colleges, including Dr. Mahbubur Rahman Molla College, on charges of attacking, vandalizing and stealing magazines filled with bullets at Suhrawardy College and Kabi Nazrul Government College in the capital.

On Monday (November 25), police sub-inspector AKM Hasan Mahmudul Kabir filed the case at the capital's Sutrapur Police Station as the plaintiff.

The case report came to the court today. The court of Dhaka's Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ziadur Rahman accepted it. The court ordered the submission of the report by December 24.

Anup Das, sub-inspector of the General Registration (GR) branch of the Sutrapur Police Station court, gave this information.

The case alleges that on November 24, 7/8,000 students from various colleges, including Dr. Mahbubur Rahman Molla College, formed an illegal mob and vandalized government property, using deadly weapons. The police officers were charged with stealing magazines loaded with government weapons (pistols), vandalizing and damaging armored personnel carriers (APCs) used for government duty. They attacked police officers on duty, threatened to kill them, and created panic. The case also mentions that they vandalized police APC cars and motorcycles of police officers on duty, causing damage of Tk. 270,000.

Earlier, at around 10 am, students from the two colleges marched towards Molla College to protest the attack and vandalism on Suhrawardy College and Kabi Nazrul Government College. After 12:30 pm, students from both sides clashed.

Earlier, on Sunday (November 24) from 12 noon, more than 30 colleges in Dhaka and its surrounding areas clashed with students from Kabi Nazrul and Suhrawardy Colleges to protest the attack on students of Dr. Mahabubur Rahman Molla College (DMRC). At that time, widespread attacks and vandalism were carried out inside Suhrawardy College.