At least 50,000 take part in anti-France rally in Bangladesh

Anger is mounting against French president Emmanuel Macron for his support of secular laws allowing caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed.

Muslims in Dhaka, Bangladesh demand the boycott of French products.

Activists of an Islamist political party denounce French president Emmanuel Macron for his comments over Prophet Mohammed caricatures. Source: ABACA

At least 50,000 people have taken part in the biggest demonstration yet in Bangladesh over French President Emmanuel Macron's defence of the right to publish cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed.

A rally that started at Bangladesh's biggest mosque was stopped from getting close to the French embassy where security has been stepped up.

Police estimated some 50,000 people took part in the protest, which demanded a boycott of French products, while organisers said there were more than 100,000.

Protesters chanted "No defamation of the Prophet Mohammed" and burned an effigy of the French leader.
Thousands of Muslims protesting the French president’s support of secular laws.
Thousands of Muslims protesting the French presidents support of secular laws allowing caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad gather in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Source: AP
Mr Macron sparked protests across the Muslim world after the murder last month of teacher Samuel Paty - who had shown his class a cartoon of Mohammed - by saying France would never renounce its laws permitting blasphemous caricatures.

The third major anti-France demonstration in Bangladesh in the past week was called by Hefazat-i-Islami, one of the biggest radical Muslim political groups in the country of 160 million people.

Many people came from towns outside Dhaka to take part in the rally.

Junaid Babunagaori, the firebrand deputy chief of Hezafat, called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to move the Bangladesh parliament to condemn Mr Macron.

"I call on traders to throw away French products. I ask the UN to take stern action against France," he told the rally.


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2 min read
Published 2 November 2020 8:11pm
Updated 22 February 2022 6:22pm
Source: AFP, SBS



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