Dhaka, April 8 Bangladesh Chief Advisor’s Office (CAO) on Tuesday confirmed that 49 individuals have been detained in connection with the vandalism of shops and business establishments in Sylhet and several other cities across the country during the pro-Palestine protest organised by students and public.
The mobs targetted Israeli-linked businesses, such as Bata, KFC, and Pizza Hut in Bogra, Sylhet, Cox’s Bazar, and other districts, in protest against the Israeli strikes on Gaza and demanded boycott of certain products, local media reported.
“In a determined effort to bring those accountable to justice, police conducted raids last night targetting the perpetrators. Additionally, our law enforcement agencies are diligently reviewing video footage captured during the protests to identify more individuals involved. These operations will continue until all those responsible for this violence and destruction are apprehended,” read a statement by the interim government.
Several videos that went viral on social media on Monday showed protestors attacking and vandalising shops and businesses all over Bangladesh over allegations of “stocking and selling Israeli products”. This included many restaurants and stores.
Security was also beefed up in Dhaka’s diplomatic enclave Monday evening, particularly around the US embassy, following the series of pro-Palestine protests in the area. Personnel from Border Guard Bangladesh, Armed Police Battalion, Special Branch, Criminal Investigation Department, intelligence agencies and Bangladesh army were deployed to monitor security in the highly-sensitive zone.
In addition, security measures were increased at other embassies in the Gulshan area. Bangladesh’s leading Bengali daily Prothom Alo quoted Gulshan Zone Assistant Commissioner of Police Ali Ahmed Masud as saying that the security in the diplomatic area has been strengthened following protests demanding an end to the conflict in Gaza.
“US citizens should practice vigilance and remember that demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence. You should avoid demonstrations and exercise caution in the vicinity of any large gatherings. Review personal security plans; remain aware of your surroundings, including local events; and monitor local news stations for updates,” the US embassy in Dhaka stated a day before in a security alert.
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