‘Devastating, moving’: Artistes emotional at The Daily Star’s anniversary programme
The Daily Star celebrated its 35th anniversary at The Daily Star centre yesterday. Stars from all media attended the event, which showcased an exhibition recreating the horrific moments of December 18, when, alongside Daily Star, Prothom Alo and Chhayanaut, they were attacked simultaneously.
The artistes joined the event and saw the exhibition, and most of them were traumatised and were at a loss for words.
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Eminent theatre personality and actor Rahmat Ali said, “Any such destructive or heinous acts are undoubtedly harmful. They damage social life, political life, and also hinder the development of intellectual and moral excellence. Any form of mob violence or extreme activity—especially what has taken place at The Daily Star—has sent shockwaves through the entire Bangalee nation and beyond.”
He also said, “Because of their commitment to publishing truth and reporting news with integrity, those who have been aggrieved by it are likely responsible for these actions—that is my clear view.”
Veteran actress Wahida Mollick Jolly added, after visiting the exhibition, it reminded me of December 18—it still hurts. “What happened was completely unjustifiable. However, I would like to say this: those who are committed to good work cannot be suppressed. I felt that then, and I say it again today—The Daily Star is one of them. No matter what happens, it will continue to stand tall.” She added, “Congratulations to The Daily Star on its 35th anniversary. May it continue to stand tall for generations to come. As long as Bangladesh exists, we hope that The Daily Star will continue to endure.”
Tariq Anam Khan said, “It is very difficult to say anything—I am traumatised. I cannot take all of this. We are artistes, and perhaps it is our failing as artistes that we have not been able to nurture or instil that sense of humanity. Day by day, we seem to be becoming more like animals; in many ways, animals are better than us. There may be protests, but there is a proper way to express them. One may disagree, but one cannot seek to silence or erase others. Despite all the obstacles, The Daily Star has always stood firm on the side of what is right and remained connected with the people. To have come this far is no small achievement—it is truly commendable. I congratulate them and sincerely hope they continue to stand by the truth.”
Theatre personality Masum Reza also shared his thoughts, “I believe that the entire incident that took place that day is so brutal that it is hard to imagine anything like it happening again in the history of Bangladesh. The fire was not accidental—it was carried out in an organised manner. Prothom Alo, The Daily Star, and then Chhayanaut were all targeted. We have seen many of those involved; some of them are known to us. If their punishment is not ensured, this wound will never heal.”
Afzal Hossain also reflected that, there are many newspapers in the country. “But why does The Daily Star stand apart from the rest? People are drawn to it, mainly because of the way it presents the news, its style of storytelling, and its long-standing commitment to truth and press freedom. Despite everything it has been through, the newspaper remains as firm as ever. That strength comes from the journalists who are deeply committed to reflecting the truth and reaching the people. I am glad they have done this so well.”
Mamunur Rashid believes that a newspaper that is determined to tell the truth does not belong to any particular group. “The way The Daily Star and Prothom Alo were attacked reflects the fact that these newspapers take a strong stand against extremism. This role must be protected at any cost. Those responsible must not be given any form of support or encouragement—I firmly believe that.”
Azmeri Haque Badhan, who has always been vocal against any wrongdoing, said, “First of all, congratulations to The Daily Star for successfully carrying forward such a long journey; they truly deserve recognition for this achievement. On the day itself, we witnessed everything across social media; the scale of the rampage was unbearable. It was a horrific attack, and there was extensive damage. However, what affected me most was that around 30 journalists were trapped inside. Given the circumstances, it felt at one point as though their deaths were almost inevitable.
In that moment, I realised just how disturbingly brutal people have become over time. While people may destroy property out of frustration, anger, or resentment—emotions they may have been unable to manage—it does not justify such actions.”
Filmmaker Shangkha Dasgupta stated that such an act should never have taken place in any civilised society. An attack on any media house or institution is both unbelievable and unacceptable.
“The Daily Star have attempted to recreate the environment they went through at that moment—you can feel the suffocation. This newspaper has always been an epitome of high standards, consistently upholding its values.
Freedom of the press will face even greater challenges if we fail to create an environment where people are better educated and more aware. Beyond practising independent journalism, I believe we, as a society, must become more open-minded. Our education system requires fundamental reform; otherwise, independent journalism will continue to face increasing challenges.”
"Mohanagar" director Ashfaque Nipun was traumatised after visiting the exhibition and he with utter disappointment said, “We had hoped that after the July uprising we would be able to build a new Bangladesh, but in our worst nightmares we never imagined that such an attack could take place on organisations like Prothom Alo and The Daily Star.
Following the incident at The Daily Star, the headline of their first edition was “Unbowed”, and I would say that they should indeed remain unbowed, continuing their work in the same steadfast manner and always standing up for the people. As such a major publication, their responsibility is even greater. I feel they have nothing left to lose and nothing to fear; they should always remain unbowed.”
Jaya Ahsan believes that The Daily Star has always been by my side since the beginning of my career. “The Daily Star is unique in its own way; it is very significant, and it will always remain at the top of the list of newspapers we can trust.
The Daily Star has risen, like a phoenix rising once again. It shows that, despite everything it has gone through, it has risen from the ashes and is now even stronger.”
The event was attended by many celebrities and those present included Afzal Hossain, Fahmida Nabi, Jaya Ahsan, Wahida Mollick Jolly, Rahmat Ali, Mamunur Rashid, Tariq Anam Khan, Nima Rahman, Sadya Afreen Mallick, Azmeri Haque Badhan, Zakia Bari Mamo, Shajal Noor, Runa Khan, Minar Rahman, Chayanika Chowdhury, Ashfaque Nipun, Tanim Noor, Shihab Shaheen, Gias Uddin Selim, Asif Iqbal, Vicky Zahed, Sarika Sabah, Anika Kabir Shakh, Aisha Khan, Sarika Subrin, Jahid Nirob, Arefin Zilani, Oyshee Fatima Tuz Zahra, Konal, Shankha Dasgupta, Shohel Mondol, Sadia Ayman, Abid Bin Parvez Pranto, Jannatul Ferdous Oishee, Rizvi Rizu, Saad Salmi Naovi, Masum Reza, Sumaiya Shimu, Tonima Hamid, Sabila Nur, Raba Khan, Arafat Mohsin Nidhi, Zinat Sanu Swagata, Armeen Musa, Animesh Aich, Khayam Sanu Sandhi, and Sabrin Azad.
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