Coca-Cola ad denying ties to Israel sparks backlash in Bangladesh 

A Coca-Cola advert aimed at distancing the company from perceived ties with Israel has gained widespread criticism in Bangladesh amid the ongoing war on Gaza.

The 60-second commercial, which was broadcast on TV and social media on 9 June, but removed from Coca-Cola Bangladesh's official YouTube and Instagram accounts, was aimed at countering a months-long boycott of its drinks by millions of Bangladeshis.

The ad, which debuted during a highly anticipated Pakistan-India T20 World Cup cricket match, opens with a scene in a market on a hot day.

A young man named Sohail approaches a middle-aged shopkeeper he calls Bablu bhai. The shopkeeper, offers Sohail a bottle of Coke, which he refuses, saying: "No Bablu bhai, I am not drinking this stuff any more."

When the shopkeeper asks why, Sohail replies: "This stuff is from 'that place'." He does not name the "place" but it appears that he is referring to Israel.

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