Bangladesh: Protest in Dhaka demanding boycott of restaurants not offering beef on menu

The protesters were heard shouting slogans like "No-beef restaurants are agents of India and Hindutva. Boycott such establishments" and "Cow dung or beef? Beef! Beef!".

They held a demonstration outside the Hotel Al Razzaque in Old Dhaka's Bangshal area.

The protest occurred at a time when atrocities against minority communities in the country, specially Hindus, has spiked ever since former PM Sheikh Hasina-led government toppled and the Interim government took control over the Muslim majority country.

Muhammad Arif Al Khabir, the council's convener, told Dhaka Tribune: "Eating beef is not obligatory (Fard), but it is a symbol of Islamic identity. When it comes to Hindu beliefs, consuming beef becomes a part of faith and therefore obligatory."

He argued that if Hindus in Bangladesh require alternatives, they should open their own restaurants instead of depriving Muslims of their rights in so-called Muslim establishments.

He said any restaurant that is not serving beef on their menu would be branded as Hindutva-aligned and an agent of India,

The protest occurred just a day after Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, who visited Dhaka for the first time ever since the interim government took charge, raised the issue of the safety of minorities in the Muslim-majority nation while meeting his Bangladeshi counterpart Md Touhid Hossain.

This marked the first diplomatic interaction between the two nations ever since former PM Sheikh Hasina-led government toppled in the neighbouring nation on August 5.

During the current interim government's regime, Bangladesh is registering a rise in atrocities against minorities, especially Hindus.

"We also had the opportunity to discuss certain developments and I conveyed the concerns, including those related to the safety, security and welfare of the minorities." the Indian official was quoted as saying by The Daily Star.