I stand for humanity, Coca-Cola ad only part of professional work: Zibon

Israel's genocide in Palestine has led to many Muslim countries, including Bangladesh, calling for boycott of 'Israel-backed' products. There is an ongoing social media call to boycott Coca-Cola, as users believe it to be the aforementioned type.

A new advertisement by Coca-Cola Bangladesh added fuel to the fire of this movement. The advertisement, starring Saraf Ahmed Zibon and Shimul Sharma, two popular artistes from the series "Bachelor Point," faced massive criticism on social media. People even assumed that the show's director, Kajal Arefin Ome, directed the advertisement, which he later clarified to the media that he has never directed commercials.

Later on, netizens discovered that actor and filmmaker Zibon directed the advertisement, which led to massive trolling and criticism of him on social media.

Zibon finally broke his silence, posting a status where he defended his involvement in the advertisement.

The actor shared his personal beliefs and the context of making the advertisement. Zibon stated, "I am known to everyone as a director and actor. For the past two decades, I have been involved in showbiz. Recently, Coca-Cola Bangladesh hired me to direct and act in one of their commercials. I only presented the commercial based on the information and data provided by their agency."

He then addressed the negative response following the advertisement's airing.

"After the advertisement aired, I have been receiving a lot of mixed reactions from my fans. With all due respect, I would like to reiterate that this work is only a part of my professional life," stated the actor.

In response to netizens condemning him for allegedly supporting genocide against the people of Palestine, the actor clarified that he does not support anything that goes against human rights.

"In my personal life, I have always stood against any aggression against human rights, and have been respectful of your feelings and opinions. Nowhere in this ad have I taken Israel's side, and I have never been pro-Israel. My heart has always been, and always will be, on the side of justice and humanity," concluded Zibon.

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Coca-Cola Bangladesh aimed to highlight through the commercial that Coca-Cola is not an Israeli product, showcasing that it has been consumed by people in 190 countries, including Bangladesh, for 138 years.