TOUSIF KAIUM and EMRUL HASAN BAPPI

Six months after the arson attacks on the country’s two leading dailies -- The Daily Star and Prothom Alo -- the investigation remains stalled despite a direct ministerial directive for its swift completion.

In the aftermath, police arrested 37 people, but many of them are now out on bail.

Despite scores of videos that surfaced during and immediately after the December 18 arson and vandalism and dozens of screengrabs collected by law enforcers, investigators say they are struggling to identify the perpetrators and have not detained any new suspects in the past six months.

The coordinated attacks targeted Prothom Alo before moving to The Daily Star, where 29 journalists and staffers were trapped inside as assailants vandalised property and set the office ablaze.

The Daily Star and Prothom Alo filed separate cases.

Filed on December 22, The Daily Star’s case accused 350 to 400 unidentified individuals under the Penal Code, the Anti-Terrorism Act, the Special Powers Act, and the Cyber Security Ordinance. The complaint also estimated the damage at Tk 40 crore.

Within days, police detained 11 in connection with the attack on The Daily Star and 26 over the attack on Prothom Alo.

On February 28, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed visited the newspaper offices and said the unprecedented attacks had tarnished Bangladesh’s reputation globally. He directed police to conduct a fair investigation and submit charge sheets within two months.

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