Law enforcement agencies have arrested 17 individuals and identified 31 others in connection with the attacks involving vandalism and arson at the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Additional Commissioner SN Nazrul Islam disclosed the information at a press conference at DMP Media Centre around on Monday.
Nazrul said the arrests were made after analysing video footage of the incidents.
Of the 17 arrestees, 13 were detained by local police stations, three by the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit, and one by the Detective Branch (DB), he added.
However, the DMP official did not disclose the motive behind the attacks or whether those arrested had any political affiliation, despite repeated questions from journalists.
Investigations are continuing, police said.
The arrests were made in raids conducted across Dhaka and other parts of the country until on Monday morning, the press release said.
Seven of the arrestees were immediately identified as Md Kashem Faruk, Md Saidur Rahman, Rakib Hossain, Md Naim, Faisal Ahmed Pranto, Md Sohel Rana and Md Shafiqul Islam.
The Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime Unit and the Detective Branch also arrested two others, whose identities were being verified as of 10:40am.
Police reportedly informed Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus yesterday that video footage analysis had led to the preliminary identification of 31 suspects linked to the attacks.
Separately, three individuals were identified through video footage for allegedly attempting to create disorder near the residence of the Indian Assistant High Commissioner in Chattogram.
Among the arrestees, Kashem is a former student of a madrasa in Bogura and a resident of Mohammadpur in Dhaka. Saidur is from Noakanda village in Bhanga upazila of Faridpur.
Rakib, from Sherpur, was identified in video footage as actively participating in vandalism and arson at the newspaper offices. Police said he posted images of the damaged premises and shared provocative content on Facebook using his own account.
Md Naim, a resident of Kunipara in Tejgaon, was arrested in Chauddagram upazila of Cumilla with Tk 50,000 allegedly looted during the incident. During preliminary interrogation, he admitted to looting Tk 123,000, police said. A television and refrigerator bought with the stolen money from Mohammadpur were also recovered.
Sohel, arrested from the Karwan Bazar railway area, faces 13 cases in different Dhaka police stations under narcotics and other laws. Shafiqul, arrested from the same area, has two previous cases related to arson and cocktail explosions, police said.
Interrogation of the remaining arrestees is ongoing, while efforts continue to detain other identified suspects.
The developments were discussed at a law and order review meeting held yesterday at the state guest house Jamuna, chaired by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus. Home Affairs Adviser Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman, and senior law enforcement and security officials attended.
The meeting also reviewed security arrangements surrounding BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman's return to the country, preparations for Christmas and English New Year celebrations, and progress in the investigation into the killing of Inqilab Moncho spokesperson and July fighter Sharif Osman Hadi.
Meanwhile, a case has been filed against 400 to 500 unidentified people in connection with the attack, vandalism, looting and arson at the Prothom Alo office in the capital's Karwan Bazar.
The case was lodged with Tejgaon Police Station at around 12:10am on Monday under the Anti-Terrorism Act, the Special Powers Act and the Cyber Security Ordinance.
According to the case statement, the Prothom Alo office at Karwan Bazar was attacked late Thursday night.
The attackers allegedly forced their way into the office, vandalised property, looted valuables and later set fire to parts of the building.
The allegations stated that the attack was carried out with the intent to intimidate, cause damage, disrupt office operations and prevent the publication of the newspaper.
The case also mentions attempts to destroy evidence, acts of sabotage, and the use of online instructions to carry out criminal activities.
Prothom Alo alleged that the value of the looted property is estimated at Tk 2.50 crore, while the total damage from vandalism and arson amounts to approximately Tk 32 crore.
Meanwhile, a total of 17 people have been arrested so far out of 31 individuals initially identified as responsible for the attacks on the offices of Prothom Alo, The Daily Star, and two cultural organizations.
Additional Police Commissioner (Crime and Operations) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) SN Md Nazrul Islam disclosed the information at a press briefing held at the DMP Media Center on Mintoo Road in the capital today.
He said that the police remain committed to ensuring the safety of media institutions and bringing those responsible for the attacks to justice.
