The protest march started from the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque seeking to besiege the French embassy over the remarks of the French President Emmanuel Macron on the controversy surrounding the publication of the cartoon of Prophet Mohammed by a magazine in Paris. However, the police stopped the march after it had moved a short distance from the origin point. Vehicular movement in the area was stopped in view of the demonstration.
The protestors called for a boycott of French goods.They asked the government to cut off all diplomatic ties with France within 24 hours to register Bangladesh’s protest against the position taken by France.
Security around the French embassy in the diplomatic area of Dhaka was tightened in view of the call to besiege the embassy given by the Hefazat-e-Islam.
Bangladesh has been witnessing protests against the French government on the issue of the cartoon of Prophet Mohammed over the last several days.
By Rajesh Jha