Photo : BSS

DHAKA, April 7, 2025 (BSS) – Students and people of different walks of life joined solidarity rallies on campuses of different educational institutes, including Dhaka University, extending utmost support to the Palestinian people against Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

In response to a global call for a strike today, students from different institutes and general people thronged Dhaka University’s Raju monument near TSC and joined procession, chanting anti-Israel slogans and demanding justice for genocide in Gaza. 

Some student leaders carried out a nationwide ‘No Work, No School’ campaign for today.

The protesting students joined solidarity and protest programme carrying Palestinian flag and festoons and placards.

In some places, students and general people formed human chain and some groups held protest processions and rallies, demanding immediate stop of the ongoing genocide and mass destruction in Gaza.

As part of the programme, students from different schools and colleges gathered on Dhaka University campus to express solidarity with global protest against mass killing in Gaza. 

DU student Tamim Ahsan said, “Today’s rally, organized in solidarity with the global strike called by the Palestine’s freedom-seeking people, was attended by students and people from all walks of life to vent out their anger and protest against the Israeli brutal aggression in Gaza. 

He said, “Israel is continuing aggression in Gaza ignoring the calls of the entire world and killing hundreds of children and women every day. Such demonic act must be stopped immediately. We will also call upon the Bangladesh government to participate in the ongoing non-cooperation movement against Israel.”

Talking to BSS, student Faruk Hossen said Israel is committing the most heinous and barbarous genocide. Again, some Western countries are aiding Israel to kill the innocent children and people in Gaza, he added. 

He said some Arab countries are still trying to maintain healthy relationship with Western bloc backing Israel.

The protesting students-people also burnt effigy of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a mark of protest.  

As part of the movement, the Dhaka University administration issued a notice postponing all classes and exams. University offices remained open for two hours today. 

Bangladesh Medical University (Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University) also expressed solidarity with the ‘Global Strike and Solidarity programme issuing an urgent notice.

“In solidarity with the global student boycott of classes and exams protesting barbaric attacks by Israeli forces in Gaza and Palestine, all exams and classes at the university remained postponed on Monday, April 07, 2025, with the approval of the Bangladesh Medical University administration. The schedule of the postponed exams will be announced later,” said the notice. 

Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) students and teachers formed a human chain in front of the Central Shaheed Minar at 11:30 am. 

BUET students said that the atrocities being carried out against the innocent children, women and ordinary people in Gaza are not just a political crisis, but an extreme humanitarian and moral crisis. Even terrorist acts such as ceasefire violations, attacks on humanitarian corridors and destruction of emergency healthcare facilities are extreme degradation of civilization.

Expressing support for the ‘Global Strike for Gaza’ from the human chain, BUET Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr. Abdul Hasib Chowdhury said Israeli forces occupying Palestine are continuing genocide for a quarter of a century. But the Arab world and other powerful countries are silent. “I think that an independent Palestine will rise from the ruins very soon and this rise will mark the historic defeat of imperialism and colonialism,” he added.