DHAKA: A reporter from The Daily Star has recounted the terrifying ordeal faced by newsroom staff after a violent mob attack the newspaper’s office late on Thursday night. Around 28 journalists and employees were forced to flee to the rooftop as smoke filled the building and sounds of vandalism echoed below.
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The incident unfolded around midnight as staff worked to meet the first edition deadline. A reporter received repeated phone warnings that a mob, after vandalising another newspaper nearby, was heading towards The Daily Star office.
28 #journalists and #staff trapped inside for more than four hours
Read the full story here: https://t.co/Cu3jtH0v86 pic.twitter.com/a2bt2I5cTi
— The Daily Star (@dailystarnews) December 19, 2025
Staff members quickly shut down their computers and attempted to evacuate. However, loud crashing sounds from the lower floors forced them to retreat upstairs, realising that escape was no longer possible.
From the upper floors, the sounds of destruction became clearer and more alarming. Fearing the mob had entered the building, the group ran to the rooftop as their only option for safety.
While sheltering there, they could hear distant shouting and ongoing damage but could not see the street below. Journalists used their phones to contact colleagues and friends to gather information about the situation outside.
The danger escalated when thick black smoke began rising through the building. Breathing became difficult, eyes burned, and the group moved constantly across the rooftop in search of cleaner air, with no water available to relieve their discomfort.
Emotions ran high as the hours passed. One staff member broke down while speaking to his parents on the phone, reflecting the fear gripping those trapped above.
Fire Service personnel briefly arrived and used a crane to rescue one individual. However, colleagues warned that descending was unsafe due to the continued presence of the mob, and the remaining staff stayed on the roof.
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The rescue finally came when an army officer knocked on the rooftop door. After carefully verifying his identity, the group followed him quietly down the stairs and out of the building, leaving shaken but safe.