Protests rock Bangladesh again, KFC, Domino's outlets attacked. What's the stir about?

Protests have hit the streets of Bangladesh yet again, prompting police to launch raids arrest 56 people allegedly involved in the vandalism months after violent agitations led to the ouster of the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from the country.

This time, the protests reportedly are in support of Palestine, with demonstrators attacking business outlets, including those belonging to multinationals like KFC and Domino's Pizza, officials cited in a news agency PTI report said on Tuesday.

The vandalism occurred on Monday, ahead of a four-day international investment summit hosted by the interim government, which Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus will inaugurate on Wednesday.

The summit is aimed at attracting global entrepreneurs as Bangladesh seeks both foreign and domestic investment.

KFC, Domino's outlets attacked

The protest rallies were taken out in different cities of Bangladesh on Monday to express solidarity with the Palestinians and condemn Israeli attacks on Gaza.

However, the protests turned violent when mobs started attacking shops and businesses, including outlets of Bata Shoe, KFC and Domino's Pizza, in Sylhet, Chattogram, Khulna, Barishal, Cumilla and Dhaka, officials cited in a PTI report said.

Police carried out overnight raids to arrest those involved in attacks on business outlets in different parts of the country, Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam told reporters.

"As of now, at least 56 people have been arrested in connection with these incidents," the report quoted Alam as saying, adding that authorities are reviewing video footage to identify more people involved in the vandalism.

He added that these operations will continue until all those responsible for this violence and destruction are apprehended.

Several political outfits, including former prime minister Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), right-wing Islamist groups, and left-leaning organisations, held peaceful demonstrations for the second consecutive day on Tuesday, raising slogans against Israel.

Police, meanwhile, maintained a strict vigil, and said no violence was reported on Tuesday.

Earlier, the BNP condemned Monday’s violence, saying the government failed to maintain law and order.

“We want to say the government and the law enforcement agencies' failures' were visible here,” BNP standing committee member and spokesman Salahuddin Ahmed told a rally staged against Israel at the Dhaka University campus.

On August 5 last year, the then Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the country on a helicopter to India with her sister, amid widespread student protests over country's quota system.