Referring to brutality on the pro-Palestinian protesters on the US campuses, Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud on Wednesday said he is willing to know the reaction to the brutality from those who issued statements when Hero Alam was punched in Bangladesh.
“In our country, a statement is issued for punching a mayoral candidate. A statement is issued when Hero Alam is punched, and also statement is issued when the brother of Charmonai Peer is punched,” he told reporters.
The Foreign Minister said more than 2000 students have been arrested, and even teachers were not spared. “I am very interested to know what their (US) statement is.”
Hasan said they are surprised to see how those who are protesting in the United States are being brutally suppressed.
“Even teachers are not spared. A teacher's rib cage was broken. If the police had done this in our country while suppressing the protestors, my question is what they would have done to them,” he posed a question.
The Foreign Minister was talking to reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after his meeting with UK Minister of State for Indo-Pacific Anne-Marie Trevelyan.
Hasan said protests are seen across the world including in Europe and people cannot accept the way innocent people including children and women are killed.
During his participation in the recent OIC Summit in Banjul, Republic of The Gambia, Foreign Minister Hasan called for an immediate cessation of the conflict in Palestine, ensuring humanitarian access and holding Israel accountable for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
"We, the members of the OIC, should be part of a multi-tracked international engagement to end the Gaza crisis," he said while speaking at the 15th Islamic Summit Conference titled "Strengthening Unity and Solidarity through Dialogue for Sustainable Development."
Bangladesh, along with a few other countries, has requested the International Criminal Court for an investigation of ‘the situation in the State of Palestine’.
"Accountability and punishment are mandatory so that once for all the ongoing conflict in Gaza ends and people can start living peacefully in their own land," Hasan said while sharing six specific suggestions on behalf of Bangladesh on Saturday evening.