Hefazat rally against Macron halts traffic in Dhaka

Vehicular movement from Dhaka's Baitul Mukarram National Mosque to Bijoynagar intersection remained suspended since this morning as several hundred activists of Hefazat-e-Islam staged protest against the recent comments made by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Several hundred activists of Hefazat-e-Islam gathered near the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque around 11:00am.

Earlier last month, Macron pledged to fight "Islamist separatism", which he said, was threatening to take control in some Muslim communities around France.

He also described Islam as a religion "in crisis" worldwide.

His comments, in addition to his backing of satirical outlets publishing caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad, has led to a social media campaign calling for the boycott of French products from supermarkets in Arab countries and Turkey.