Bangladesh’s chief adviser Muhammad Yunus said on Monday that nine people have been arrested in nationwide raids over attacks on the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, as well as two cultural organisations.

According to a Daily Star report so far 17 people have been arrested.

Yunus also said that authorities have also identified three individuals through video footage for attempting to create disorder near the residence of the Indian Assistant High Commissioner in Chattogram.

After student leader Osman Hadi’s death was announced last Thursday, a violent mob took over the streets of Bangladesh and vandalised, looted and torched the offices of two of the country’s leading media houses, Prothom Alo and The Daily Star.

A separate mob created disorder near the residence of the Indian Assistant High Commissioner in Chattogram suspecting that the principal accused, Alamgir, has fled to India.

Yunus confirmed the identities of seven of the arrested individuals on X. They are Md Kashem Faruqi, Md Saidur Rahman, Rakib Hossain, Md Naim, Faisal Ahmed Pranto, Md Sohel Rana and Md Shafiqul Islam.

The post further said that the police’s counter terrorism unit and the detective branch have arrested two more individuals whose identities are currently being verified.

The arrested Kashem Faruqi is a former student of Al-Jamia Al-Islamia Qasemul Uloom Madrasa in Bogura and currently resides in Mohammadpur, Dhaka. Md Saidur Rahman is a resident of Noakanda village in Bhanga upazila of Faridpur district.

Rakib Hossain, a resident of Sherpur district, has been identified in video footage as an active participant in the vandalism and arson at Prothom Alo and The Daily Star. Photographs of the destruction were posted from his ID, and he also made inciting posts on Facebook.

Md Naim, a resident of Kunipara area in Tejgaon, Dhaka, was arrested from Chauddagram upazila in Cumilla along with Tk 50,000 looted in the incident.

Naim confessed to looting a total of Tk 123,000. He purchased a television and a refrigerator from Mohammadpur with that stolen money, both of which have since been recovered.

Md Sohel Rana was arrested from the Karwan Bazar railway line area. He has 13 cases filed against him at various police stations in Dhaka on charges including narcotics offences.

Md Shafiqul Islam, arrested from the same area, has two previous cases filed against him over allegations of involvement in arson and cocktail explosions.

Preliminary interrogation of the other arrested individuals is ongoing.

Earlier on Sunday, a meeting to review the overall law and order situation in the country was held at the state guest house Jamuna, chaired by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus.

The police and other law enforcement agencies informed Yunus that video footage analysis had led to the preliminary identification of 31 suspects involved in the recent attacks.

Yunus has directed law enforcement agencies to maintain normal law and order “at any cost” ahead of the upcoming national election.

The meeting also reviewed in detail the progress of arrests and investigations related to the killing of Inquilab Moncho spokesperson Hadi.

Discussions at the meeting also covered security measures surrounding the return to the country of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, as well as preparations for the upcoming Christmas and New Year celebrations.

During the mob violence last Thursday, a man, Dipu Das, was lynched at Mymensingh.

India on Sunday issued its first official response on his lynching and his body burnt in Bangladesh, voicing strong concern over continuing atrocities against minorities and saying it is closely tracking the fast-evolving situation in the neighbouring country.

The MEA said India remains in constant touch with the Bangladesh authorities as unrest spreads across the country.

“Our officials have conveyed our strong concerns at the attacks on minorities and have urged that the perpetrators of the barbaric killing of Das be brought to justice,” the statement said.

Earlier on 17 December, the MEA summoned Bangladesh envoy Riaz Hamidullah and conveyed its strong concern over certain extremist elements announcing plans to create a security situation around the Indian mission in Dhaka.