Thousands of protesters took to the streets across predominantly Muslim Bangladesh on Monday, condemning Israel’s inhumane attacks on Gaza, according to police.
In the capital Dhaka, students and activists joined rallies in solidarity with the people of Gaza, as well as against the United States and its president Donald Trump for supporting Israel in its war with Palestinian resistance group Hamas.
Large numbers of students assembled on the Dhaka University campus, waving Palestinian flags and holding placards with slogans such as “Boycott Trump, Save Palestine,” “Show Israel the Red Card,” and “Boycott America.”
Classes and exams were suspended at many educational institutions as students rallied in front of colleges or along major thoroughfares.
“After seeing such horrific scenes of genocide in Gaza, I couldn’t stay silent anymore. Today, in solidarity with the global movement, we have skipped our classes. We demand freedom for the Palestinian people. We want a free Palestine,” said Rafiul Azam Sifat, a student protester at Dhaka University.
In Dhaka’s Baridhara neighbourhood, police intercepted several hundred protesters as they marched towards the US embassy.
The Bangladeshi Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Monday condemning Israel for what it said was the continued “mass killings and gross violations of human rights” in Gaza.
The ministry demanded an immediate halt to Israeli military operations, calling on the Jewish state to exercise maximum restraint and uphold its obligations under international humanitarian law.