Protests in Bangladesh, Pak, ban in Maldives: How anti-Israel sentiment is growing in South Asia's Muslim nations

Anti-Israel sentiment over the Gaza war is increasing in South Asia’s Muslim nations.

The Maldives has banned Israeli citizens from entering the country, while Bangladesh and Pakistan have witnessed massive protests against the Gaza war.

Dhaka has even restored the phrase “this passport is valid for all countries of the world excerpt Israel” on it.

But what happened? What do we know?

Let’s take a closer look:

In Maldives

The Maldives announced a ban on Israeli citizens entering the country.

As per Times of Israel, the island nation said it was making the move in “resolute solidarity” with the Palestinian people.

President Mohamed Muizzu ratified the legislation shortly after it was approved by parliament today.

“The ratification reflects the government’s firm stance in response to the continuing atrocities and ongoing acts of genocide committed by Israel against the Palestinian people,” his office said in a statement.

“The Maldives reaffirms its resolute solidarity with the Palestinian cause.”

The ban will be implemented with immediate effect, a spokesman for Muizzu’s office said.

“The ratification reflects the government’s firm stance in response to the continuing atrocities and ongoing acts of genocide committed by Israel against the Palestinian people,” his office says in a statement.

Muizzu also publicised a national fundraising campaign called “Maldivians in Solidarity with Palestine.”

As per Al Jazeera, around 11,000 Israelis visited the Maldives – which his famous for its sandy beaches and luxury resorts – in 2024.

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Israelis comprised 0.6 per cent of all total tourist arrivals.

Just 528 Israelis have come to the Maldives in the first four months of 2025.

That figure is down 88 percent compared to the same period in 2024.

Israel has urged its citizens to leave the Maldives.

“For Israeli citizens staying in the country, it is recommended to consider leaving, since if they fall into distress for any reason, it will be difficult for us to help.”

Israel’s Foreign Ministry last year had urged citizens to avoid traveling to the Maldives.

Israeli passport holders have been banned from entering Algeria, Bangladesh, Brunei, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Yemen.

In Bangladesh

Bangladesh has witnessed massive anti-Israel protests.

As per Al Jazeera, around 100,000 took to the streets of Dhaka on Sunday to protest Israel’s actions in Gaza.

Thousands of protesters rallied in the capital to condemn Israeli actions in the Gaza Strip, carrying hundreds of Palestinian flags and chanting slogans like “Free, Free Palestine.”

The main protest was held in central Dhaka’s Suhrawardy Udyan near the premier Dhaka University and many among them beat the images of US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing them of backing Israel.

Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party and right-wing Islamic groups and parties expressed solidarity with the rally.

Bogra, Sylhet and Cox’s Bazar also saw massive crowds on the streets over the past few days, as per NDTV.

Unfortunately, the demonstrations turned violent with protesters targeting brands they believe are linked to Israel.

As per Dhaka Tribune, in Bogra, protestors vandalised a Bata showroom.

In Sylhet, a KFC bore the brunt of outrage, while in Cox’s Bazar demonstrators targeting a Pizza Hut and KFC.

Bangladesh has also reintroduced “except Israel” inscription on passports  –barring its citizens from travelling to the Jewish state.

Bata has issued a public statement.

“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 company said, as per Dhaka Tribune.

The home ministry issued a directive asking the passport and immigration department to reinstate the sentence “THIS PASSPORT IS VALID FOR ALL COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD EXCEPT ISRAEL” in the official travel permits for citizens visiting abroad, the state-run BSS news agency reported.

The phrase “all countries except Israel” was dropped in 2021 during the Awami League government led by now-deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina. The authorities at that time said it was dropped from the passport to maintain international standards of the document.

“We issued the letter (directive) on April 7,” Nilima Afroze, Deputy Secretary of Home Ministry’s Security Services Division, told the news agency.

In Pakistan

Pakistan on Sunday witnessed thousands of people take to the streets in Karachi to protest Israel’s actions in Gaza.

Pakistan maintains no diplomatic ties with Israel and has consistently called for a permanent ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Last week, an American fast food outlet in Rawalpindi was vandalised by anti-Israel protesters.

As per The Print, the video purportedly shows some individuals abusing people and vandalising the shop.

The patrons, including some elderly women, are shown leaving in fear.

In a separate incident, supporters of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik (TLP) vandalised another fast food outlet in Rawalpindi.

In Karachi, ten people were arrested after a mob vandalised KFC outlet.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) South Syed Asad Raza told Dawn that around 40 people, mostly young people armed with sticks and stones, attacked the Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) outlet at 6.15 pm.

“Their motive was to protest against US and Israel policies in Gaza,” Raza said. “There is a similar pattern across the Muslim World, especially Bangladesh and other countries, mostly incited by social media, where mobs resort to such hooliganism.”

Thousands of supporters of Pakistan’s main religious political party rallied in Lahore on Friday against the United States and Israel over the war in Gaza.

An estimated 15,000 people attended the rally called by Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, whose head, Naeem Ur Rehman, called on all Muslim nations to announce a holy war to defend Gaza.

Pakistan’s parliament on Monday passed a unanimous resolution strongly condemning the ongoing military attack and related atrocities by the Israeli army in Gaza.

The resolution was introduced by Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tara, as per BRecorder.

It urged the international community to hold Israel accountable for alleged war crimes in Gaza.

It also called for increasing efforts to achieve “a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.”

It also demanded that Palestine be recognised as a full member of the United Nations.

The move came days after Mufti Taqi Usmani, a prominent Islamic scholar who heads a conglomerate of seminaries of Islam’s Deobandi school of thought in Pakistan, called on the Muslim world to impose a complete boycott of Israel.

The cleric stressed that protests against Israel must be peaceful after anti-Israel protesters attacked American fast-food restaurant chains in several cities across Pakistan.

With inputs from agencies