Students from several universities in Bangladesh staged a protest outside the US Embassy in Dhaka’s Gulshan area on Monday morning, expressing solidarity with Palestinians and condemning the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
The demonstration was part of the global “March for Palestine” campaign, with students from at least eight universities participating in the nationwide strike.
Around 11:30am, protesters marched in small groups and gathered near the main highway in front of the US Embassy, briefly halting traffic in the area.
To maintain order, a large police presence was deployed in front of the protest. Security forces surrounded the embassy, and strict measures were taken throughout the area.
Normal traffic resumed around noon after authorities opened one side of the road near the nearby intersection.
Earlier in the day, students from universities including Dhaka University (DU), Chittagong University (CU), Jahangirnagar University (JU), BRAC University, Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET), Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET), Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST), and Daffodil International University (DIU) began observing a strike in solidarity with Gaza.
The strike, which includes a boycott of classes and suspension of administrative activities, aligns with a global call for shutdowns in support of the people of Gaza. Protesters at BRAC University were seen forming human chains and holding Palestinian flags and placards in front of the campus gate.
The day’s central program is set to culminate with a solidarity rally titled “March for Palestine” at 4pm in front of the Raju Memorial Sculpture at Dhaka University’s TSC.
The global shutdown campaign, observed on April 7, calls for the closure of educational institutions and offices worldwide as a protest against the continued violence in Gaza. The slogan “No Work, No School Until Genocide Stops” has gained traction on social media, echoing in rallies and protests taking place in multiple countries.