Assaults on culture and press must not go unpunished, say artists

A collective of filmmakers and artists in Dhaka has demanded swift justice for the recent attacks and arson targeting major media houses and cultural organisations, including Prothom Alo, The Daily Star, Chhayanaut, and Udichi Shilpi Goshthi.

In a statement issued on December 20, the organisation Drishyamadhyam Samaj said the coordinated attacks were aimed at creating nationwide disorder through violence against institutions central to free expression and cultural life.

"The attacks and arson at Prothom Alo, The Daily Star, Chhayanaut, and Udichi were carried out in a highly planned manner to engineer chaos across the country," the statement said.

The group also called for justice in several high-profile cases, including the killing of Inquilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi, garment worker Dipu Chandra Das, Khulna-based journalist Imdadul Haque, and the murder of child Ayesha Akter. According to the statement, accountability in these cases is essential to restoring public trust and the rule of law.

The statement was read out on behalf of the Drishyamadhyam Samaj by a group of prominent cultural practitioners, including filmmaker Akram Khan, photographer Taslima Akhter, actor Azmeri Haque Badhon, singer Bithi Ghosh, filmmakers Krishnendu Chattopadhyay and Dhrubo Hasan, filmmaker Yasir Al Haq, Jahin Faruk Amin, actor Ananna Siddika, filmmakers Tanha Jafreen and Tanvir Ahsan, costume designer Idila Farid Turan, and filmmaker Kabir Ahmed.

The collective stressed that attacks on media houses and cultural institutions amount to direct assaults on freedom of expression and democratic values. They urged the authorities to conduct impartial investigations and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice without delay.