The Business and trading community in Rangpur city on Wednesday observed a half-day strike, expressing solidarity with the oppressed people of Gaza.
The strike began at about 6:00am and continued till 1:00pm. Shops, super-markets, shopping malls and business organisations remained shut during the period. Emergency services including medicine shops, kitchen markets and hotels were outside the purview of the strike.
Leaders and members of the businesses and trading associations gathered in front of Zila Parishad Super Market in the morning and held a meeting and demonstration protesting at the Israeli聽 barbaric attacks on the Gaza people and aggression in Palestine backed by the United States and the western countries. They burnt the effigy of the Israel鈥檚 prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu on the road and joined a prayer session for the Palestinian martyrs.
Rangpur Chamber of Commerce and Industries president, Akbor Ali,聽 Rangpur City Shop owners association, general secretary, Joynal Abedin, joint secretary, Tanvir Hossain Ashrafi, Super Market Shop Owners Association, general secretary, Rashiduzzaman Bulbul, Jewellery Business Association secretary, Abdul Alim Bulu and Motor Parts Business Association joint secretary Mokelesur Rhaman addressed the rally, among others.
Speakers called upon all to boycott Israeli products in the country. They also urged the government to show the number of Israeli products and stop the import of all the products immediately.
Shops and markets in upazilas and municipal areas of the district, however, remained shut and observed the hartal.
A total of 156 business bodies, teachers, students, journalists , politicians , civil society members and different professionals expressed solidarity with the shutdown programme.
