BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has strongly condemned the overnight attacks, vandalism and arson targeting national dailies Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, warning that the government must take full responsibility for the incidents.

In a post shared on his verified Facebook page early Friday, Mirza Fakhrul expressed deep concern over the violence that followed the death of Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi, a frontline activist of the July mass uprising and spokesperson of the Inquilab Mancha.

“Bangladesh is an independent and sovereign country. Ensuring the safety of life and property of every citizen is the responsibility of the incumbent government,” he wrote. “At a time when the nation is mourning the death of Hadi and praying for the salvation of his soul, despicable attacks were carried out on The Daily Star, Prothom Alo, eminent journalist Nurul Kabir and many others.”

Condemning the incidents in strong terms, the BNP leader said those who wait for national crises to exploit them are enemies of the country. “They turn moments of grief into acts of destruction. I strongly protest this terrorism. The government must take full responsibility for these incidents,” he added.

Referring to what he described as mob violence over the past year, Mirza Fakhrul said such acts have deeply divided the nation. He noted that Hadi was an election candidate who reached out to people at their doorsteps.

“There will be elections. A democratic government of the people will be established in Bangladesh, Insha’Allah,” he wrote, calling for the trial of Hadi’s killers and all those involved in mob violence.

He further said that after the fall of the “authoritarian Awami government,” the foremost responsibility of the current administration is to unite the nation and build a democratic, stable and inclusive society.

“We call upon all sides to act responsibly and work together in unity. The government must take immediate action,” Mirza Fakhrul said.