April 7, 2025
DHAKA – In response to a global call for a strike on April 7, 2025, Bangladeshi students from across the country have announced that they will be participating in the movement in solidarity with the people of Gaza.
The strike calls for the halting of all academic and professional activities to protest ongoing violence in the region.
General students from several institutions, including BRAC University (BRACU), Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET), Daffodil International University (DIU), Dhaka University (DU), Green University of Bangladesh (GUB), Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB), Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET), and Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST) have penned statements declaring their support for the strike.
The call for the movement emerged amidst escalating violence by the Israeli Military in Gaza.
According to reports by Al Jazeera, in the past 24 hours alone, at least 46 Palestinians have died due to Israeli strikes. The death toll since October 2023 currently stands at 50,695, the Health Ministry says.
Dhaka University
At least 12 departments of Dhaka University, along with the Law and Fine Arts faculties, have announced abstention from classes and examinations on April 7, expressing solidarity with the global community against Israeli aggression in Gaza.
As of 7:30pm, the departments and institutions calling for the boycott include the Faculty of Fine Arts, Faculty of Law, Institute of Education and Research (IER), and the departments of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE), Nuclear Engineering, Psychology, Islamic Studies, Theatre and Performance Studies, Communication Disorders, Arabic, Sociology, Political Science, Finance, and Pali and Buddhist Studies.
Several other departments of Dhaka university expressed solidarity with the global demonstrations without boycotting classes.
Student organisations join in
In a video message posted on Facebook, Meghmallar Bose, president of the Dhaka University committee of Bangladesh Chhatra Union and a leader of the Ganotantrik Chhatra Jote, urged students of all educational institutions in Bangladesh to make the strike a success by ensuring no classes take place and no schools open tomorrow.
Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, in a press release issued this evening, also criticised Israel’s “barbarian genocide” in Gaza and Rafah, and announced a protest programme. The BNP-affiliated student body announced its solidarity with the worldwide strike, and announced a separate programme for April 8 in all educational institutions in the country. The press release was signed by Md Jahangir Alam, office secretary of JCD.
Biplabi Chhatra Moitree also issued a press release expressing solidarity with the “The World Stops For Gaza”.
In a joint statement, Nuzia Hasin Rasha, the Dhaka University unit president of Biplobi Chhatra Maitree, and its general secretary Sami Abdullah said, “The end of the ongoing attacks and killings in Palestine and the liberation of Palestine are part of the movement to fight against imperialism, resist neo-colonialism and establish people’s sovereignty.”
“The Bangladesh Gonotantrik Chhatra Sangsad, University of Dhaka, stands in solidarity with Palestine and strongly condemns the Israeli attacks,” said Abdul Kader, president of the Dhaka University wing of the Bangladesh Gonotantrik Chhatra Sangsad.
He added, “The long-standing Israeli atrocities in Palestine have now reached an extreme level. Israeli attacks across Gaza and other parts of Palestine are clearly acts of genocide and violations of human rights.”
Bangladesh Chhatra Union (Mahir-Shuvo) also sent a press release, signed by its secretary of international affairs Shah Sakib Sakib Sobhan, expressing its support to the Palestinians.
The statement reads, “Bangladesh Students’ Union (BSU) extends its unwavering solidarity with Palestine and Palestinians to ensure justice, freedom, and dignity.”
Bangladesh Chhatra Union (Mahir-Shuvo) also called for an immediate ceasefire and demands the Israeli government be held accountable for its war crimes.