Protest rally at Shahbagh: “Middle Eastern silence must end to stop genocide in Gaza”
Speakers at a rally in Shahbagh on Friday demanded that Middle Eastern states break their silence over Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza.
They also accused those countries of servility to US imperialist power and complicity in Zionist crimes.
They vowed that protests in Bangladesh against US imperialism and Israeli Zionism would continue until the massacres end.
The rally was organised by the Palestine Solidarity Committee in front of the National Museum in the capital’s Shahbagh intersection, protesting the Israeli interception of the Gaza-bound relief vessel Global Sumud Flotilla.
Addressing the rally, writer Kallol Mostafa said, “The Global Flotilla began in 2010. Its fleet will continue to grow until Israel’s aggression in Palestine is brought to an end. Muslim nations remain practically silent — this silence must be broken.”
Mosharefa Mishu, general secretary of the Ganatantrik Biplobi Party (Democratic Revolutionary Party), highlighted the images of killings and siege in Gaza.
She said, “People across the world are protesting against the genocide in Gaza. We have gathered here to join that protest and call upon the people of Bangladesh to unite in it. This is a struggle against US imperialism.”
She added, “The Middle Eastern states are acting as bootlickers of imperialist power. They are not protesting against Zionist Israel. Our resistance against imperialism and Zionism will continue. I call upon Middle Eastern nations — time has not yet run out, raise your voices in protest.”
Speaking at the rally, Brac University professor Mahbub Hossain noted that nowadays, Jews across the world are marching against the genocide in Gaza. “This shows clearly that it is not a war between Muslims and Jews. There is humanity among Jews too, and they are also standing against genocide.”
Writer and researcher Chowdhury Mufad Ahmed said, “Humanity has not been extinguished. People of all faiths, races and nations have stood up in defence of humanity. Capitalists are cornered, Israel today stands friendless. The masks of the United States and capitalist states have slipped, revealed by their own revolutionary peoples.”
Abdus Sattar, central committee member of the Bangladesher Biplobi Communist League (Revolutionary Communist League of Bangladesh), called for intensifying the struggle against imperialism, warning also of imperialist conspiracies against Bangladesh.
Abdullah Kafi Ratan, general secretary of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), said, “The genocide in Gaza must be stopped. But if that only serves to help Donald Trump (the US President) win a Nobel Peace Prize, it will not bring peace to Palestine. Our solidarity will always remain with the freedom-seeking people of Palestine.”
The protest rally, conducted by Palestine Solidarity Committee member-secretary Harunur Rashid and member Joydeep Bhattacharya, also heard speeches from Belal Chowdhury of the central study circle forum of the Bangladesher Samyabadi ANdolan (Socialist Movement of Bangladesh), Zulfiqar Ali of the central committee of the BASAD, and Nasir Uddin, president of Gonomukti Union.
Songs were performed at the beginning and end of the programme by Sushmita Roy of Charan Cultural Centre and Mofizur Rahman, general secretary of Bibartan Cultural Group.