On Saturday, a significant wave of people began to gather at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka for the “March for Gaza,” an event organized to show solidarity with the Palestinian people amid ongoing violence in Gaza.
While the mass gathering is set to officially commence at 3:00 PM, processions of various sizes have been making their way to the venue since morning, arriving from locations such as Shahbagh, Doel Chattar, and Nilkhet. Participants are proudly waving both the national and Palestinian flags, united in their purpose: to express support for Gaza, foster global public opinion, and advocate for humanitarian values.
Rafiqul Islam, who came with five friends from Dhanmondi, shared his feelings of helplessness, stating, “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.”
The area around Suhrawardy Udyan is buzzing with activity, as vendors and activists set up their stalls. Tanvirul Islam, selling Palestinian flags near the TSC, remarked, “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 organizations, including the BNP and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, have expressed their solidarity with the event. A delegation from the BNP, led by Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed, plans to begin their own “March for Gaza” from Baitul Mukarram National Mosque to join the larger rally.
In a Facebook post, Shafiqur Rahman, Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, encouraged participants to join the march peacefully and in an orderly fashion, cautioning against any attempts to undermine the legitimacy of the program.
Sheikh Fazlul Karim Maruf, the media coordinator of the Palestine Solidarity Movement, announced that the march would kick off at 2:00 PM from five different locations: Bangla Motor, Kakrail intersection, Zero Point, Bakshibazar intersection, and Nilkhet intersection, with an expected arrival at Suhrawardy Udyan by 3:00 PM.
The gathering will be presided over by Muhammad Abdul Malek, the Khatib of the National Mosque Baitul Mukarram. Initially slated to take place at Manik Mia Avenue, the venue was moved to Suhrawardy Udyan to accommodate the movement of foreign guests attending an investment summit in Dhaka.
As the event unfolds, the atmosphere is charged with passion and purpose, reflecting a collective commitment to humanitarian causes and solidarity with the people of Gaza.
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