June 25, 2025
DHAKA – There is no denying that Israel, having started the war based on a false claim that Iran was on the verge of acquiring nuclear weapons, bears primary responsibility for ending it. Not only did it impose the war unilaterally, but it also manipulated the US into joining it. What followed then—with US bombers dropping 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs on three Iranian nuclear facilities, and Iran responding by threatening to close the Strait of Hormuz and carrying out strikes on a US military base—had the world sitting on the edge of its seat. The dramatic announcement of a ceasefire early Tuesday only underscored how dangerously close the world came to a wider, multi-front, and far more impactful war.
Donald Trump, despite having lost any credibility to be a moral voice in this crisis, has urged both sides not to violate the truce. Well, both sides certainly cannot be held to the same standards of responsibility. Still, given the deaths, destruction, and disruptions the war has already caused, we do hope both will exercise the restraint now expected of them. Israel, with a perpetually battle-ready leadership, may be on the lookout for any excuse, real or manufactured, to derail the peace effort. Early signs show how fragile it can be. Soon after the ceasefire announcement, Israel’s military accused Iran of breaking the truce by launching two ballistic missiles—an allegation the latter denied. But the Zionist state still vowed to retaliate.
So, while we welcome the ceasefire initiative that both sides had agreed to, we must acknowledge the persistent lack of trust and goodwill that may undermine any chance of peace. We don’t need to remind anyone of the wider risks and costs associated with the war, not just in the countries it is being fought. Since June 13, Israeli attacks killed 606 people and wounded 5,332 in Iran as of Monday. Israel had far fewer but still significant losses.
But as we have noted in these columns before, the war has already left a trail of uncertainty across the global oil markets and supply chains which, should armed hostilities persist, would continue to ripple far beyond the Middle East, reaching even Bangladesh. Bangladesh’s energy sector may come under significant threat if the war escalates and Iran follows through on its threat to block the Strait of Hormuz. Already, our LPG shipments have been reported to be stalled. Most developing countries will be similarly affected if the war continues.
There is no alternative to a permanent ceasefire then. This unjust war that two hegemonistic, nuclear-armed states have imposed on a non-nuclear Iran must stop, and civilians and the world in general must be shielded from its effects. The onus lies on Israel, and its enablers, to ensure the ceasefire remains firmly in place.