Fresh protests have erupted in Bangladesh over Israel's latest offensive in Gaza. Protests turned violent on Tuesday with protesters looting and vandalising international brand outlets such as Bata, KFC and Puma for their alleged ties with Israel. However, brands have issued statements clarifying their position. 

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Thousands took to the streets in Bangladesh's Sylhet, Chattogram, Khulna, Barishal, Cumilla and Dhaka and raised slogans in support of with Palestinians and against US President Donald Trump. They called for a nationwide boycott of Israeli-linked products, as per a report by Dhaka Tribune.

In Sylhet, protestors stormed a KFC restaurant with bottles of soft drinks perceived to be Israeli-affiliated being smashed, according to Bangla Tribune. A similar scene unfolded in Cox’s Bazar, where protesters threw stones at the signboards of KFC and Pizza Hut. In Chittagong, protests turned violent and KFC and Pizza Hut outlets were vandalised with people throwing bricks, stones, and shoes. 

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As per a report in Dhaka Tribune, law enforcement agencies have been accused of inaction. Former IGP Muhammed Nurul Huda was quoted saying, "Based on intelligence reports, the administration should have kept these areas under special surveillance", adding that the police must be more active and accountable to prevent such situations in the future. Crime analyst Md Omar Faruk was quoted saying that the deteriorating law and order poses a threat to national stability. However, the police claimed that they were on high alert and those involved in the looting and vandalism had political backing, as per local reports. BNP National Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed also criticised the government and law enforcement for failure to prevent these incidents.

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Bata issues statement after vandalism

Bata Bangladesh released an official statement denouncing the attacks on its stores and rejecting claims of Israeli ownership. Bata, a Czech Republic company, opened its first outlet in Bangladesh in 1962.

"We are aware of inaccurate claims suggesting that Bata is an Israeli-owned company or has political affiliations in the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. Bata is a privately held, family-owned company founded in the Czech Republic, with no political ties to the conflict," Bata said in a statement released to Bangladeshi media.

"It is deeply regrettable that some of our retail locations in Bangladesh have recently been subjected to vandalism, apparently triggered by these false narratives," it said.

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Puma is a German multinational company but faced backlash on social media over its sponsorship of the Israel Football Association (IFA) in 2018. The deal ended in 2024. KFC is an American company and has outlets in Israel. However, it faced backlash after it acquired Tel Aviv-based Tictuk Technologies, a marketing firm, in 2021.

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(With inputs from agencies)