The Editors’ Council and the Newspaper Owners’ Association of Bangladesh (NOAB) have announced a joint protest meeting condemning what they described as organised and violent attacks on the country’s media and democratic institutions.

In a statement, the two organisations said Bangladesh is currently under attack by mobs that threaten democratic values and the nation’s longstanding tradition of organised journalism.

They alleged that on Thursday (18 Dec), organised groups attacked the headquarters of leading national dailies Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, carrying out vandalism, looting, and arson.

The statement also claimed that Nurul Kabir, editor of New Age and president of the Editors’ Council, was physically assaulted.

The Editors’ Council and NOAB said they believe these incidents represent the most extreme and alarming examples of mob violence during the tenure of the interim government.

According to the statement, the attacks were not limited to media institutions but constituted a direct assault on society, democratic norms, and the foundations of the state itself.

They warned that such violence undermines the country’s stability, resources, capabilities, and future by promoting anarchy and intolerance.

In response, the Editors’ Council and NOAB have jointly called the protest meeting to voice resistance against these attacks and to defend press freedom and democratic principles.

Leaders of political parties, professional organisations, business communities, journalists’ associations, and representatives of civil society are expected to attend the meeting.

The organisers have called on all concerned citizens to participate.

The joint protest meeting will be held on Monday (22 Dec) at 11:00am at the Padma Hall of Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka.

The statement was jointly signed by Nurul Kabir, president of the Editors’ Council, and AK Azad, president of NOAB.