Staff Reporter:
Bangladesh has condemned Israeli efforts to deport people out of Gaza and demanded immediate cease-fire 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,” Mohammad Tofazzel Hossain Miah, Principal Secretary, PMO said in ILO Governing Body meeting on Wednesday.
In his statement, Tofazzel Hossain 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 Pal-estinian workforce to resume employment in Israel.
He said Bangladesh aligns with the statement delivered on behalf of majority of ASPAG countries and statement of OIC.
Bangladesh expressed its profound concerns over 66% loss of jobs with 85% reduction of employment in Gaza strip as well as 40 % loss of employment in West Bank.
“The illegal war against the civilian and non-combatant population of Palestine has caused shrinking of the Palestinian economy by one third in the fourth quarter of 2023. Labour market governance institu-tions, labour administration, social protection, social dialogue got irreparably affected,” said Tofazzel Hossain.
Bangladesh thanked the donors and partner countries who have contributed to the ILO’s Development Cooperation Program.
“My delegation also expresses its sincere appreciation to the Office for conducting a three- phase pro-gram with priorities in Relief, Review and Recovery with an internal budget of 1.4 million initially,” Tofazzel said.
“We would like to join our voices to enhance donor support for successful implementation of the pro-gram,” he added.
He highlighted the overwhelming necessity of employment-intensive infrastructure building and arrang-ing suitable jobs for the family members of the murdered Palestinians, disabled persons.
“Bangladesh, like most other States, continues to recognize Palestine as a State in the fullest meaning of the term and identifies Isarel as the illegal occupying power of Palestine,” Tofazzel said.
Bangladesh expressed 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 infrastruc-tures and indiscriminate use of force.
“We condemn Israel for its blatant violations of international humanitarian and human rights laws,” Tofazzel Hossain added.
