Students from different universities across the country on Sunday announced their participation in a global strike on Monday in solidarity with Gaza amid an escalating strike by the Israeli military.
The strike calls for boycotting academic and professional activities to protest at on-going violence in Gaza.
鈥楪aza has called a global strike for this Monday,鈥� read a post on Saturday regarding the call on verified X handle of Translating Falasteen (Palestine), an online platform to spread the voices of the people of Palestine.
Several universities in Bangladesh, including Dhaka University, BRAC University, Khulna University of Engineering and Technology, Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology, Military Institute of Science and Technology, Daffodil International University, Dhaka Polytechnic Institute, Independent University, International Islamic University Chittagong,聽 North South University, University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh and many others issued statements responding to the global call.
Meanwhile, the DU administration on Sunday evening suspended all office activities from 9:00am to 11:00am on Monday expressing solidarity with the global call.聽
The statements of university students said that they were joining the movement and that no classes, no labs, no exams would be held on the day.
鈥榃e refuse to stay silent while a population is being bombed, starved, and erased,鈥� said the statements, adding, 鈥楾his is a moral responsibility and together, let鈥檚 raise our voices.鈥�
Cultural activists also announced holding a march towards the United States embassy in Dhaka from Shahbagh at 4:00pm demanding an end to genocide in Gaza.聽
鈥榃e all have a duty to follow. Until the genocide ends, everyone must move for this cause,鈥� Falasteen鈥檚 X handle post read, adding,聽 鈥榃e cannot sit by in the digital world while an entire population is being starved, bombed, and erased.鈥�
Dozens of Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza over the past 24 hours that targeted residential homes and makeshift tents, reported Al Jazeera on Sunday.
According to health officials, the number of Palestinians killed since Israel launched its war on Gaza in October 2023 crossed 50,000, reported Al Jazeera on March 23.