Dhaka, Dec 11 (V7N) – The Muslim Consumers' Rights Council staged a rally on Tuesday in front of Hotel Al Razzaque in Old Dhaka's Bangshal area, demanding a boycott of restaurants that exclude beef dishes from their menus.

Chanting slogans like "No-beef restaurants are agents of India and Hindutva. Boycott such establishments" and "Cow dung or beef? Beef! Beef!" the group called for mandatory inclusion of beef dishes in all restaurants, threatening closures for non-compliance.

Speakers at the rally emphasized that Muslims constitute 98% of Bangladesh's population and argued that beef is a significant part of their diet. They accused certain establishments of deliberately excluding beef due to what they claimed were Hindutva influences, thereby violating the rights of Muslim consumers.

Muhammad Arif Al Khabir, convener of the council, stated, "Eating beef is not a religious obligation but serves as a symbol of Islamic identity. In contexts where Hindu beliefs are dominant, consuming beef becomes an assertion of faith."

Citing verse 208 of Surah Al-Baqarah, he drew parallels between Islamic dietary principles and the symbolic importance of beef consumption in opposition to Hindu practices.

Arif also criticized Western countries for not accommodating Muslim dietary needs, arguing that Muslims in those regions must create separate halal establishments. He suggested that Hindus in Bangladesh should open their own restaurants if they seek alternatives rather than influencing Muslim-owned establishments.

The council warned that any restaurant failing to offer at least one beef dish would be labelled as Hindutva-aligned and face a nationwide boycott.

END/MSS/RH