New Delhi, Dec 23 (NationPress) A recent social media update from Shafiqul Alam, the Press Secretary to Muhammad Yunus, who serves as the Chief Adviser in Bangladesh's interim government, has sparked serious concerns regarding the safety of the nation's citizens amidst violent assaults on media establishments.

In a piece published by Prothom Alo, a prominent Bengali newspaper, it was queried, "If government officials feel powerless, where do the people turn for help?"

On December 19, Alam shared on his official Facebook page, "I received urgent, tearful cries for assistance from my journalist colleagues at The Daily Star and Prothom Alo. I sincerely apologize for not being able to protect you. Despite my numerous calls to the appropriate authorities, assistance was delayed."

On the evening of December 18, media outlets in Dhaka faced an onslaught from a violent mob.

"The staff members at these media organizations were assaulted, and the rampaging mob caused extensive damage, even setting the office ablaze," Alam further noted.

"I finally managed to sleep at 5 a.m., relieved that the journalists trapped inside The Daily Star were rescued and safe. However, by that time, both newspapers had suffered one of the most severe mob attacks on media facilities in the country," the Press Secretary mentioned in his Facebook statement.

"I am at a loss for words to provide comfort. As a former journalist, I deeply regret this situation. I wish I could disappear in shame," he concluded.

In response, one individual on Facebook attributed the violence against media offices to the government's inadequacies.

Another user remarked, "This mob violence occurred under your interim government's oversight. How do you justify that? Don't hide behind a wall and evade accountability for the government's failure to ensure safety."

Yet another Facebook user expressed, "This is incredibly disappointing! You failed to take the necessary precautions earlier, and now you must confront the aftermath!"

In contradiction to Alam's claim of attempting to rally support, Prothom Alo stated a day post-attack that they had proactively sought protection by reaching out to senior government officials and law enforcement agencies.

The media outlet's premises were vandalized "before help could arrive."

The statement from Prothom Alo emphasized, "Concerned journalists and staff on duty were compelled to evacuate the building to safeguard their lives. Law enforcement and firefighters subsequently arrived to manage the situation."

In her commentary on Tuesday, media analyst Nishat Sultana questioned, "If a high-ranking government representative can publicly express his helplessness in this manner, what does that say about our leadership?"

She highlighted that the interim government has consistently failed to manage crime and the prevailing state of emergency. "This is why we witness the triumph of those who take the law into their own hands repeatedly," she lamented.

She compared the current law-and-order scenario to a film's climax where law enforcement arrives too late, stating, "But in our reality, such intervention is absent. Security agencies remain largely inactive, leaving the public to take justice into their own hands, resulting in brutal acts of violence and public humiliation."