The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) on Friday strongly condemned the recent incidents of violence, arson and vandalism targeting media houses in Bangladesh during ongoing protests.
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In a joint statement, PFUJ President Afzal Butt and Secretary General Arshad Ansari said that attempts to silence the press through intimidation and physical attacks were a blatant violation of the constitutional right to freedom of expression and the rule of law. They stressed that journalists must be allowed to perform their professional duties without fear of violence or reprisals.
Attacks on Hindus are continuously taking place in Bangladesh and this is a matter of concern.
We are not aware of what steps the government is taking or how the government is engaging with the interim government of Bangladesh, but it is a very serious matter that minorities… pic.twitter.com/Q8ka8pri8g
— Asma (@asmatasleem13) December 26, 2025
The condemnation follows violent protests in Bangladesh after the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent student leader of last year’s uprising that led to the removal of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. Hadi was reportedly shot in the head by masked assailants in Dhaka on December 16 while launching his campaign for elections scheduled in February. He later died in Singapore on December 18.
After his death, protests escalated across several cities, during which buildings housing leading newspapers, including Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, were set on fire and vandalised. Protesters accused the publications of facilitating Hadi’s killing, allegations that were firmly denied by the newspapers.
The PFUJ statement also denounced what it described as “targeted attacks” on journalists, including the physical assault on veteran editor Nurul Kabir, editor of the New Age newspaper and president of the Editors’ Council of Bangladesh.
Expressing deep concern, the PFUJ noted reports that more than 100 journalists in Bangladesh were currently detained without trial and demanded their immediate and unconditional release.
The union further pointed to what it called a troubling regional trend of mob violence against the media, citing similar incidents in Nepal earlier this year. It recalled attacks on the Kantipur Group, Annapurna Post and Image TV, and paid tribute to photojournalist Suresh Rajak of Avenews TV, who was killed in an arson attack in Kathmandu in March 2025.
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The PFUJ urged the governments concerned to carry out impartial and speedy investigations, bring those responsible to justice and ensure the safety of journalists, warning that violence against the media undermines democratic values.