Asif Nazrul’s Statements Raise Concerns of Mob Violence Against The Daily Star

Staff Reporter

Journalists at the English daily *The Daily Star* fear that statements made by Law Adviser Asif Nazrul could incite mob violence against their newspaper. They note that following the student-led uprising on August 5 last year, both *The Daily Star* and *Prothom Alo* faced multiple incidents of mob violence, including so-called “protests and cow slaughter programs” outside their offices.

According to the journalists, the Law Adviser’s remarks have heightened their concerns. Over the past 10 months, mob violence incidents in the country have risen significantly. Numerous instances of “mob justice” or public beatings have occurred, even in the presence of police. In this context, media workers consider such comments against the press, without presenting evidence, to be irresponsible.

Asif Nazrul alleged that *The Daily Star* and *Prothom Alo* show bias toward the BNP and its sympathetic intellectuals. He claimed to have evidence to support his allegations but failed to provide any despite repeated requests from reporters.

Senior journalists at *The Daily Star* believe Nazrul’s statements may be motivated by professional vendetta. They suggest that the Adviser is upset due to the number of lawsuits against journalists, the denial of bail for detained journalists, and *The Daily Star*’s role in criticizing the government.

*The Daily Star* authorities stated to the media that they believe it was inappropriate for a Law Adviser to make such baseless allegations and comments without evidence, especially in an environment hostile to journalists.

On May 4, *The Daily Star* Editor Mahfuz Anam spoke at an event in Dhaka, stating that journalists in the country are facing legal harassment and that the misuse of the law has become routine. On May 16, in a column, he questioned why the Ministries of Law and Expatriates’ Welfare—two distinctly different portfolios—are assigned to a single adviser. In the column, Mahfuz Anam wrote: “Don’t the expatriate Bangladeshis, who send approximately 23 billion US dollars annually, deserve a dedicated adviser?”

Against this backdrop, it is believed that the Law Adviser’s allegations may stem from a personal reaction.

It is learned that during a seminar organized by the Centre for Governance Studies in Dhaka on June 26, the Law Adviser stated, “Thirteen to fourteen years ago, *The Daily Star* turned a university teacher into a ‘national hero,’ who was actually a lecturer, not a professor. When the Chhatra Dal demanded his resignation for offensive remarks against Khaleda Zia, the Dhaka University Teachers’ Association unanimously expelled him. Yet, *The Daily Star* did not publish that news.”

Following this statement, *The Daily Star* sought details from the Adviser and contacted him multiple times. However, until 1:30 AM on June 27, the Adviser could not provide any written or documented evidence to support his claims.

*The Daily Star* claims they sent multiple messages and called the Adviser, but he only stated, “The incident might be from 20 years ago, and the person’s first name was possibly Shafique.” He then remarked, “This shouldn’t have been mentioned publicly; it should be dropped.”

In this context, human rights activist Nur Khan Liton said, “Even after horrific incidents of mob violence, no visible steps are being taken by the government that could send a strong message to prevent such crimes. Instead, the government’s indifference sends a message that mob violence will go unpunished.”