In Dhaka, Bangladesh, journalists at The Daily Star newsroom faced a terrifying night when a mob attacked and set their building ablaze. Reporter Zyma Islam described the harrowing experience of being trapped on the roof with 27 colleagues as smoke filled the building. The attack followed the death of a youth leader, with protesters falsely accusing the newspaper of involvement.
Islam recounted the sounds of bricks smashing glass and the rising panic as they retreated to the roof, barricading the fire exit. "I can't breathe any more. There's too much smoke. I'm inside. You are killing me," she typed in a desperate Facebook post. The group endured four hours on the roof before an army rescue operation allowed them to escape via a fire escape and a ladder.
The attack caused extensive damage, with losses estimated at $2 million. Despite the destruction, The Daily Star resumed operations quickly, printing the next day with the headline "Unbowed." The incident highlights the dangers faced by journalists in Bangladesh, with many threats and little recourse.