Shawdesh Desk:

Bangladesh will observe a one-day state mourning on Saturday for the Palestinians killed in recent Israeli attacks, prime minister Sheikh Hasina announced.

She also called for offering prayers for the Palestinian victims in all mosques after jumma and other places of worship across the country on Friday. The victims of the brutal Israeli attacks are not only Muslims, but also Christian and Jews, she said.

The prime minister made the announcements on Thursday while addressing a programme arranged in Sarak Bhaban in the city’s Tejgaon area to open 150 newly constructed bridges in 39 districts and 14 newly constructed overpasses of the Roads and Highways Department simultaneously.

She said that Bangladesh would be in the fight to establish the rights of Palestinian people as repeated attacks on the Palestine can never be accepted.

‘Our stance is that this war will have to be stopped soon. The Palestinian people should get back their due lands occupied by Israel. The lands will have to be given back the lands to the people of Palestine,’ she said.

‘We’re also with them. We’ll have to fight. The repeated attacks on them can never be accepted. We can’t accept it,’ she said.

She said Bangladesh has already condemned the way Israel killed Palestinians – innocent people including women and children by attacking a hospital and other places in Palestine.

‘It is unbearable to see blood stained faces of children who were killed or injured in bombing attacks by Israel,’ she said.

She said that Bangladesh would send medicines, dry foods and other necessary items for the people of war-torn Palestine.

‘We will send medicines, dry food and necessary commodities for women and children. We’ve taken this step. We’re always beside the dressed people with whatever resources we have,’ she added.

The PM already asked the health ministry to take steps for sending medicines to the Palestinians.

In an oblique reference to BNP, Hasina said it was noticed that many still remain silent here on this issue fearing that those behind such incidents would be displeased.

‘Those who don’t have courage to raise voice for the oppressed people wage movement demanding the resignation (of the government), which is unfortunate,’ she said.

In the function, she also unveiled the foundation stones of 1,100-metre Kewatkhali Bridge and 1,471-metre Rahmatpur Bridge over Brahmaputra river in Mymensingh, opened newly constructed DTCA Bhaban for Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority, BRTA Automated Motor Vehicle Fitness Test Centre of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority, BRTC Bus Depot and Training Centre of Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation as well as conferred the financial assistance to the road accident victims.

The PM inaugurated the infrastructures through a virtual platform from a programme,while the audiences were also connected virtually from Mymensingh Circuit House Ground and BRTA Office in Mirpur.