Thousands protest, call to boycott French goods

Hundreds of thousands of angry protesters on Tuesday staged a demonstration in Dhaka city in protest against the display of caricature of the Prophet (SM) in France.

Islami Andolan Bangladesh organised a protest rally with a demand to boycott French products and cut diplomatic ties with Paris unless it offers apology to the Muslim world for the caricature.

The protesters denounced the French move for spreading hate speech in disguise of exercising freedom of speech and acts of republication of cartoons of Prophet Muhammad (SM) in France.

Later, they marched towards the French embassy in Dhaka, but were intercepted by law-enforcers in Santinagar area and then returned.

The Islamic political party rallied outside Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in the morning where hundreds of supporters of the party and others joined spontaneously.

Mufti Sayed Faizul Karim, head of the political group, addressed the event as the chief guest and led a procession.

Echoing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, mufti Karim said the French president needs mental treatment as he is desperate to spread propaganda against Muslims.

He urged the government to enact a law to deal with those who spread hate speech against Islam and the Prophet Muhammad (SM).

Mufti Karim urged Muslim countries to pass a resolution at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation denouncing the French move to depict the Prophet and spread a hate campaign against Muslims.

He urged all to boycott French products, saying that France must apologise to the Muslim world for what it has been doing in spreading Islamophobia.

Speakers at the programme also sought a UN resolution to initiate immediate action against such provocation against any religion and any ill motive to disrupt peaceful coexistence among religious faiths.

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