Bangladesh demands immediate ceasefire in Gaza: Tofazzel

Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah said Bangladesh condemns Israeli efforts to deport people out of Gaza and demands immediate ceasefire and full and unhindered access to humanitarian assistance. 

Full implementation of the three Rs -Relief, Review and Recovery can only be possible with an end of genocidal attack on innocent civilians and infrastructures, he said while reading out a statement titled ‘Report on crisis-related ILO work in the Occupied Palestinian Territory’ at a governing board meeting of ILO held at Geneva. 

Tofazzel said Bangladesh would like to urge the international community to intensify pressure on the occupying power Israel and its apartheid government, to stop this violent attack on civilians, to allow Palestinians to rebuild their economy with international support, and to allow Palestinian workforce to resume employment in Israel. 

He said Bangladesh, like most other states, continues to recognize Palestine as a state in the fullest meaning of the term and identifies Israel as the illegal occupying power of Palestine. 

Bangladesh expresses its grave concerns in the genocidal attacks on unarmed civilians, including women and children, of Palestine by the occupant Israeli Armed forces as well as targeting of civilian infrastructures and indiscriminate use of force, he said, adding, “We condemn Israel for its blatant violations of international humanitarian and human rights laws.” 

The principal secretary said Bangladesh would like to express its profound concerns over 66 percent loss of jobs with 85 percent reduction of employment in Gaza strip as well as 40 percent loss of employment in West Bank. 

He said the illegal war against the civilian and non-combatant population of Palestine has caused the shrinking of the Palestinian economy by one third in the fourth quarter of 2023. Labour market governance institutions, labour administration, social protection, social dialogue got irreparably affected, he said. 

Tofazzel said, “We would like to highlight the overwhelming necessity of employment- intensive infrastructure building and arranging suitable jobs for the family members of the murdered Palestinians, disabled persons.” 

He thanked the donors and partner countries who have contributed to the ILO's Development Cooperation Programme. “My delegation also expresses its sincere appreciation to the Office for conducting a three- phase programme with priorities in Relief, Review and Recovery with an internal budget of 1.4 million initially. We would like to join our voices to enhance donor support for successful implementation of the programme,” Tofazzel said. 

He said Bangladesh has supported the OIC amendment.