Hundreds of Bangladeshis rallied at Shahbagh in the capital on Friday demanding an international ban on the supply of weapons by countries, including the United States, used in genocides and racial oppression.
The Palestine Solidarity Committee Bangladesh organised the 鈥榃omen and Children Solidarity rally鈥� to express its solidarity with Palestinians.
The committee also made seven demands at the rally seeking an end to atrocities in Gaza.
Many protesters, including women and children, joined the rally carrying banners and chanting slogans such as 鈥榝ree Palestine鈥�, 鈥榗easefire in Gaza now鈥�, 鈥楩rom the river to the sea鈥� and 鈥楧own with Zionism.鈥櫬犅犅犅�
Their other demands include ending genocidal operations in Gaza, ensuring safety for Palestinians, implementing protective measures for women and children鈥檚 health and safety, and providing essential services such as shelters, food, clean drinking water, medical supplies, and fuel to the Palestinian people.
They also called for dismantling of imperialist practices that contribute to genocides in many countries, including in Palestine.
Speaking at the rally, Ibrahim Kishko, a Palestinian student at Dhaka Medical College, criticised the global response, particularly from Western countries such as the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada, in support of Israel, calling it 鈥榟ypocrisy鈥� as it contradicts humanitarian principles.
Ibrahim urged pro-Palestinian protesters to keep voicing against Israel鈥檚 war in Gaza, saying, 鈥榊ou (pro-Palestinian protesters) are our last hope.鈥�
Presiding over the rally, Professor emeritus Serajul Islam Choudhury said that the situation in Gaza was not a trivial issue for their tears represented the tears of oppressed people around the world.聽
Serajul Islam said that Israel had been conducting a 鈥榮hameless and brutal genocide鈥� in Gaza.
鈥楾here is no way to lose in this protest against Israel because it is a stand against the system of imperialism and capitalism, which gave rise to figures like Adolf Hitler and Benjamin Netanyahu, who perpetrate such heinous acts against humanity,鈥� he added.聽聽
Noting that around 35,000 people, more than half of whom are women and children, have been killed in Gaza, the speakers emphasised that whenever disasters or wars begin, women and children are often the worst affected.
Leaders, mostly from left-leaning political parties, including the Socialist Party of Bangladesh, the Ganosamhati Andolan, the Samajtantrik Mohila Forum, Biplobi Nari Sanghati, the Communist Party of Bangladesh, Nari Mukti Kendra and Bhashani Nari Mukti Parishad, and representatives of Hill Women鈥檚 Federation and Bangladesh Mahila Parishad were present at the rally.
Several cultural organisations, including Bangladesh Udichi Shilpigoshthi, Bibartan Sangskritik Kendra, Charan Sangskritik Kendra, and Samageet, performed at the event, which also featured children drawing pictures.
After the discussion, a procession was brought out which after parading different roads ended in front of the National Museum at Shahbagh.
