In a chilling example of digital incitement, two Bangladeshi activists based in the US and France orchestrated violent attacks on major media outlets and cultural landmarks in Dhaka from thousands of miles away. A detailed investigative report reveals how their coordinated online campaign ignited chaos across the country.
On the night of December 18, 2025, Elias Hussain, a former journalist living in New York’s Jackson Heights, posted on Facebook: ‘Not a single brick of Prothom Alo should remain.’ With over 2.2 million followers and a verified badge amplifying his reach, the message exploded across WhatsApp, Instagram, and other platforms.
Within hours, a mob gathered outside Prothom Alo’s Dhaka office, vandalizing the building in a frenzy of destruction. Hussain, working closely with his Paris-based ally Pinaki Bhattacharya, extended the campaign to The Daily Star, Chhayanaut, and Udichi. Their posts mobilized thousands, turning online rhetoric into real-world violence.
Journalists and observers warn this marks a dangerous precedent: cross-border social media manipulation fueling mass unrest in Bangladesh. Governments struggle to counter algorithm-driven mob mobilization from afar, as the report from Northeast News highlights.
Over the past year, Hussain and Bhattacharya have systematically targeted these institutions, accusing them of spreading Indian intelligence-backed disinformation that eroded public trust. Their efforts peaked on February 5, 2025, when they incited the demolition of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ancestral home in Dhanmondi, timed with her live Facebook address.
Boomlive’s analysis notes that during the Prothom Alo arson, crowds openly chanted for a new government led by Hussain and Bhattacharya. Far from mere online posturing, the duo cultivated direct ties with officials, lending their digital influence tangible power.
Since Muhammad Yunus’s interim government took power in August 2024, Bangladesh has seen a surge in attacks on journalists, rising mob culture, and deteriorating law and order. This report underscores the urgent need for robust defenses against weaponized social media.