<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>The business community of Bangladesh has strongly urged the UN and world leaders to call for an immediate ceasefire and settlement of decades-old dispute to ensure peace in the Middle East and thus avoid escalation and&nbsp; protecting the millions of misplaced people.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>"Bangladesh businesses support and stand by the Palestinians’ right to self-determination, sovereignty and independence," said the top business bodies in Bangladesh in a joint statement on Wednesday.</div><div><br></div><div>The Bangladesh businesses vehemently condemned the barbaric massacre of the Palestinian civilians, women and children by the Israelis.</div><div><br></div><div>More than 14,200 people have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza of whom more than 9,700 were minor children and new born babies.</div><div><br></div><div>This is a systematic annihilation of a nation, never found in the history of mankind, said the statement signed by Mahbubur Rahman, President, ICC Bangladesh; Mahbubul Alam, President, FBCCI; Md. Sameer Sattar, President, DCCI, Md. Saiful Islam, President, MCCI; Omar Hazzaz, President, CCCI and Naser Ezaz Bijoy, President, FICCI.</div><div><br></div><div>The Al-Shifa Hospital has become a graveyard of the Palestinians rather than a hospital. Almost 1.6 million people have been displaced across the Gaza Strip since October 7.</div><div><br></div><div>Israel is comprehensively targeting civilian infrastructure, residential buildings, mosques, schools and hospitals, sparing nothing in its brutal attacks on the Gaza Strip as part of a genocidal war while demonstrating a total disregard of the international calls for a ceasefire.</div><div><br></div><div>In the name of fighting against the terrorists in Gaza, new born babies, children, women and civilians are being killed, under the protection and support of the super powers, said the business leaders.</div><div><br></div><div>The targeting of civilians is a war crime, no matter who does it, under Geneva Convention, they said.</div><div><br></div><div>"We want to remind that humanitarian and medical personnel and facilities are protected under international law," said the business leaders.</div><div><br></div><div>"States have an obligation to ensure their safety and protection during times of war. As the UN Secretary General has repeatedly reiterated that one must bear in mind that even wars have rules," they mentioned.</div><div><br></div><div>They condemned the use of starvation of civilians as a method of warfare and killing of children and innocent civilians, which is prohibited under international humanitarian and criminal law.</div><div><br></div><div>"The willful and systematic destruction of civilian homes and infrastructure, known as ‘domicide’, and cutting off drinking water, medicine and essential food supplies are clearly prohibited under international criminal law," they said.</div><div><br></div><div>The business leaders said that international community must focus on redressing humanitarian sufferings and protecting innocent people affected by the conflict.</div><div><br></div><div>"We strongly support the UN Secretary General’s efforts to provide access to humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. We also support the UN Security Council calling for urgent and extended humanitarian pauses” in Gaza to address the escalating crisis for the Palestinian civilians during Israel’s aerial and ground attacks," they said.</div><div><br></div><div>They expressed grave concern about the safety of journalists and aid agency workers and protecting hospitals and schools that are providing refuge and life-saving medical services to the people of Gaza.</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh, Bolivia, South Africa, Comoros and Djibouti have jointly requested the International Criminal Court to investigate the situation in the Palestinian territory.</div><div><br></div><div>"We endorse the joint request of the above five countries and hope that other nations will also join," the business leaders from Bangladesh said.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>