The government is committed to taking stringent legal action against those responsible for the recent attacks, vandalism and arson at the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, said Shipping Adviser Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain.

He came up with the warning while visiting the offices of the newspapers at Kawran Bazar of the capital on Sunday.

Expressing sorrow over the violent attacks on the media houses, the adviser said, “Differences of opinion are part of democracy, but violence and attacks are absolutely unacceptable. This is a very unfortunate incident.”

He emphasised that the media is the eyes of the government. Both the government and media must work together for nation-building.

The adviser lauded the courage and professionalism of the newspapers’ staff, noting that publishing the papers within a day of such a major incident reflected remarkable resilience.

Expressing solidarity with the affected journalists, he said the media would rise again, and media freedom would be maintained.

The Daily Star Advisory Editor Kamal Ahmed, Prothom Alo Executive Editor Sajjad Sharif, and other senior officials and journalists, were present there.

Angry protesters set fire to the offices of the country’s two leading newspapers on December 19, trapping staff, following the death of activist Sharif Osman Hadi, who was shot in Dhaka on December 12 and later died in a Singapore hospital.