The ‘March for Gaza’ solidarity event, organized to express support for the people of Palestine, concluded on Saturday (April 12) with a mass prayer at Dhaka’s historic Suhrawardy Udyan. The prayer, led by Mufti Abdul Malek, Khatib of the National Mosque Baitul Mukarram, began at 3:50 PM and ended around 4 PM.
From early afternoon, thousands of people from across the capital converged on the venue. The program commenced with a recitation from the Holy Qur’an, followed by speeches from prominent Islamic scholars including Shaykh Ahmadullah, Chairman of As-Sunnah Foundation, and Dr. Mizanur Rahman Azhari. The session was hosted by Mufti Rezaul Karim Abrar.
Journalist and editor of Dainik Amader Desh, Mahmudur Rahman, read out the official declaration of the ‘March for Gaza’, calling for an end to Israel’s aggression and urging international solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Political leaders also joined the event, with a delegation from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed present on stage. Leaders from other political parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami, were also in attendance. Notably, veteran film actor Ilias Kanchan participated in the gathering to show his support.
A large procession began at Baitul Mukarram following the Jumu’ah prayer, eventually merging into the crowd at Suhrawardy Udyan. The overwhelming turnout led to significant crowd control challenges as many tried to approach the main stage.
Organized under the banner of the Palestine Solidarity Movement Bangladesh, the program drew several hundred thousand participants, reflecting the strong public sentiment in Bangladesh in favor of justice and human rights for Palestinians.
