Dhaka, Dec. 22 -- Nahid Islam, convenor of the National Citizen Party (NCP), has claimed that "a section of the government" was involved in the attacks, vandalism, looting, and arson at the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star.

Speaking at a meeting at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka on Monday, he said the attacks could not have taken place without political backing, social consent and institutional involvement coming together.

The former interim government advisor described the incidents as "entirely planned".

"It wasn't as if a massive crowd -- several thousand people -- went there to do this," he said. "Therefore, the entire episode was orchestrated. A plot was already in place about what would follow the incident involving Sha...