Why protesters in Bangladesh are attacking Bata, KFC, and Pizza Hut showrooms

Mass protests erupted across Bangladesh, including the capital city Dhaka, on Monday in response to ongoing Israeli military actions in Gaza. During these demonstrations, angry mobs reportedly targeted businesses perceived to be linked with Israel—most notably international chains like KFC and Pizza Hut. Videos of the vandalism have gone viral on social media since Monday.

Interestingly, the protesters also attacked showrooms of the footwear brand Bata, despite the company having no links to Israel.

A video showing the vandalism was shared by the X account Bangladeshi Hindus Community, drawing widespread attention online.


In response to the incident, Bata has publicly condemned the attacks and clarified its position. According to a statement published in the Dhaka Tribune, the company said: “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 globally is a privately held, family-owned company founded in the Czech Republic, with no political ties to the conflict. It is deeply regrettable that some of our retail locations in Bangladesh have recently been subjected to vandalism, apparently triggered by these false narratives.”


The protests came amid growing public anger in Bangladesh over the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza.

Muhammad Yunus, Chief Advisor of the interim government of Bangladesh, condemned Israel’s actions in a statement on X, saying: "The Government of Bangladesh expresses its strongest condemnation of the Israeli Occupying Forces’ continued mass killing and gross violations of human rights in the Gaza Strip. Israel’s ongoing military attacks since last month’s unilateral breach of the ceasefire have killed scores of Palestinians—mostly women and children—and blocked the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, leading to a human catastrophe. Evidently, Israel has shown no regard for repeated international appeals and has instead engaged in an increasingly intense killing spree."

Since March 18, Israeli airstrikes have resulted in 1,391 deaths and 3,434 injuries. Total casualties since October 7, 2023, have reached 50,752 deaths and 115,475 injuries, as reported by Al Jazeera.