The World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) has expressed profound concern following the violent attacks on the offices of Bangladesh’s leading newspapers, Prothom Alo and The Daily Star.

The attacks occurred on a night of widespread unrest sparked by news of the death of Inqilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman bin Hadi. Extremist groups targeted not only the newspaper offices but also the historic Dhanmondi 32—the cradle of Bangladesh’s independence—cultural organization offices, and the residences of Awami League leaders.

Nationwide criticism has mounted against law enforcement agencies for their apparent inaction during the night of violence. Civil society members have termed this a dire consequence of patronizing "mob justice" and extremism.

International Community Reacts
In a statement issued on Tuesday (December 23), WAN-IFRA—representing over 3,000 news publishing companies and entrepreneurs across 120 countries—joined the international community in condemning the violence. The organization noted that while the attacks caused extensive property damage and placed the lives of journalists and staff at grave risk, they failed to silence the media outlets.

The statement highlighted that Prothom Alo recently won two awards from the WAN-IFRA World Printers Forum. It praised the newspaper’s 27-year legacy of uninterrupted service. Due to the recent violence, the print edition was forced to suspend publication for one day—the only time in nearly three decades, excluding scheduled holidays.

"WAN-IFRA proudly commends the extraordinary resilience of the technical and editorial teams. Despite the psychological trauma and infrastructural damage, they immediately returned to publishing. Today, we celebrate their return to print," the statement added.

INMA’s Earlier Condemnation
Earlier on Friday, the International News Media Association (INMA) also expressed deep concern, describing the attacks as a direct assault on press freedom and journalist safety. Based in Dallas, USA, INMA represents nearly 22,000 members across more than 100 countries.