March for Gaza
DE Online Desk:
People have started arriving at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka on Saturday to join the “March for Gaza” programme in solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Although the Palestine Solidarity Movement scheduled the mass gathering to begin at 3:00 pm, processions large and small have been arriving since morning from Shahbagh, Doel Chattar and Nilkhet, among other directions.
Carrying both the national flag and the Palestinian flag, participants are converging on Suhrawardy Udyan with a unified goal—to express solidarity with the Gaza people, build global public opinion, and raise their voices in favour of humanitarian values.
One of the participants, Rafiqul Islam, who arrived with five friends from Dhanmondi, expressed his deep sense of helplessness. “We can’t directly stop the violence in Gaza, but we are here to show our support for the Palestinian people and make it clear that we stand by them,” he said.
Vendors and activists also gathered around the venue.
Tanvirul Islam, selling Palestinian flags near TSC, said, “I’m not just here to sell flags. I’m here to raise my voice against the oppression of Muslims. The crowd is overwhelming, and there’s barely space to walk.”
Major political parties and organisations, including the BNP and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, have expressed solidarity with the programme.
A delegation from the BNP, led by Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed, will begin its “March for Gaza” from Baitul Mukarram National Mosque and join the grand rally to express solidarity with the people of Palestine, according to the BNP media cell.
In a Facebook post, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman urged people to participate in the march peacefully and in an orderly manner. He also cautioned against any attempts to question the legitimacy of the programme.
Sheikh Fazlul Karim Maruf, media coordinator of the Palestine Solidarity Movement said, “The march will begin at 2:00 pm from five locations—Bangla Motor, Kakrail intersection, Zero Point, Bakshibazar intersection, and Nilkhet intersection.” He expects the gathering to reach Suhrawardy Udyan by 3:00 pm.
“Khatib of the National Mosque Baitul Mukarram, Muhammad Abdul Malek, will preside over the gathering”, the organisers said.
Initially, the Palestine Solidarity Movement had announced that the rally would be held at Manik Mia Avenue. However, the venue was later shifted to Suhrawardy Udyan in consideration of the movement of foreign guests attending the investment summit in Dhaka.