Chief adviser professor Muhammad Yunus on Tuesday reiterated Bangladesh鈥檚 unwavering commitment to justice, freedom, peace, and supporting the Palestinian quest for the full realisation of all of their inalienable rights, and aspirations to live a safe, stable and dignified life.
On the occasion of the international day of solidarity with the Palestinian people, Yunus in a message said that Bangladesh stood resolutely with the people of Palestine in their rightful struggle for self-determination and statehood.
鈥極ur nation has always been steadfast in supporting a just solution that upholds the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, rooted in the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian State based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital,鈥� he added.
He said that the call for self-determination resonated deeply with the people of Bangladesh, who recently experienced a people鈥檚 revolution.
One of the most poignant images from the Revolution captures a sea of triumphant people, united in solidarity, with the flags of Bangladesh and Palestine kept side by side, he added.
Yunus said that the ongoing violence by Israeli occupying forces in Gaza had inflicted unprecedented suffering, especially on women and children.
UN children and armed conflict reports indicate that in the past year alone, over five times more Palestinian children were killed in Gaza than in the entire period from 2005 to 2022, he added.
He said that the ongoing tragedy was a profound affront to humanity as a whole, Palestinians were not an expendable people, and those responsible for these atrocities had to be held accountable.
鈥楤angladesh calls urgently for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire to protect innocent lives, particularly women and children, who are most vulnerable in this conflict,鈥� he added.
Professor Yunus said that the UN and the international community had to act decisively to realise the two-state solution as the only viable path to lasting peace in the Middle East.
He said that Bangladesh firmly believed that the illegal occupation of Palestinian land had to end, allowing the Palestinian people their right to an independent state.
鈥楾his position was recently reinforced by the International Court of Justice鈥檚 advisory opinion on July 19, 2024, declaring Israel鈥檚 occupation of Palestinian territories unlawful and in violation of international law,鈥� he added.
