Bangladesh’s Education Adviser, Professor Dr. C. R. Abrar, has strongly condemned recent attacks on cultural and media institutions that occurred while the nation mourns the death of martyr Sharif Osman Hadi. In a statement issued Saturday, Abrar said extremist groups exploited the grief to incite chaos and anarchy across several locations in the country.

He detailed that the long-standing cultural organization Chhayanaut’s building was attacked and set on fire, destroying musical and educational materials, and that its affiliated school, Nalanda, was also damaged. Abrar further denounced assaults on the offices of cultural group Udichi, as well as on the newspapers Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, and the reported mistreatment of veteran journalist Nurul Kabir.

Calling these actions an attempt to tarnish the spirit of the July Movement, Abrar warned that such violence could advance the agenda of anti-Bangladesh fascist forces. Authorities have yet to confirm who is behind the attacks, but concerns are rising over escalating political and ideological tensions.