A site-specific art installation exhibition titled ‘Alo’ by artist Mahbubur Rahman at the Prothom Alo’s burnt building has called for mass resistance against mob violence, attacks on the media and culture.

The 10-day exhibition began on Wednesday at the Prothom Alo building which was attacked, looted and set on fire by a mob on December 18, 2025.

On December 18 past year, a group of miscreants attacked, vandalised and set fire to the offices of Prothom Alo, a Bangla national daily, and The Daily Star, an English national daily, in Karwan Bazar area of the capital Dhaka.

At the exhibition inaugural ceremony, Newspaper Owners’ Association of Bangladesh president AK Azad, National Press Club president Hasan Hafiz, Editors’ Council general secretary and Daily Bonik Barta editor Dewan Hanif Mahmud, Bangladesh Federal Journalists Union general secretary Kader Gani Chowdhury, the Daily Star editor Mahfuz Anam and Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman, among others, spoke. The event was moderated by Prothom Alo executive editor Sajjad Sharif.

AK Azad said that setting fire to an institution could not destroy it and journalists did not run away in fear, rather they faced the situation and stood up with courage.

‘Newspapers and the media may be attacked in the future. We need unity among journalists and media houses,’ he said.

Hasan Hafiz said that they expected that the new government would focus on media freedom and tolerance in the country.

Dewan Hanif Mahmud said that the attacks on media houses created a very bad impression about Bangladesh to the world.

Kader Gani Chowdhury sought government support to create a free environment for journalism.

Mahfuz Anam said that the arson attacks on the country’s two leading newspapers were premeditated and the government should investigate to identify those who were directly involved and instigated the violence.

Matiur Rahman said that the country’s newspaper community would stand united against any attack on any media outlet.

The four-storey burned office has been transformed into a makeshift exhibition gallery where artist Mahbubur Rahman infused motion through his artworks.

‘The attacks on the Prothom Alo were not only attacks on a media outlet, but on free thinking, culture and knowledge which are similar to history and civilisation,’ said Mahbubur, adding that he focused on the relationship between materials and space.

The materials on the site, including books, papers, trees, furniture and objects, were transformed into artworks which describe mass resistance as a force against darkness, he said.

After the inauguration of the exhibition, ambassadors, high commissioners and representatives of the diplomatic missions in Dhaka visited the exhibition. 

United News of Bangladesh reports: Diplomats stationed in Dhaka on Wednesday expressed solidarity with The Daily Star and Prothom Alo, highlighting the importance of freedom of press and freedom of speech as an important pillar of democracy.

The ambassadors and high commissioners and representatives of the diplomatic missions in Dhaka joined a programme held in front of the Prothom Alo office at Karwan Bazar in Dhaka, marking the inauguration of the art exhibition by artist Mahbubur Rahman.

Ambassador and head of delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh Michael Miller, Indian high commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma, British high commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke, Canadian high commissioner to Bangladesh Ajit Singh, French ambassador to Bangladesh Jean-Marc Séré-Charlet and Italian ambassador to Bangladesh Antonio Alessandro were, among others, present.