Suhrawardy udyan: Jamaat to press for 7-point demand at today’s rally

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami will hold its "national rally" at Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital today, pressing for a seven-point demand that includes ensuring a level playing field for a free, fair, neutral, and peaceful election.

This marks Jamaat's first-ever political rally at the historic venue, where the party aims to gather around 10 to 15 lakh supporters from across the country in a display of political strength, several senior leaders told The Daily Star.

Jamaat Assistant Secretary General Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair said the grand rally could serve as a political turning point for the party as it aims to build momentum from the event and carry it through to the 13th parliamentary election slated for next year.

"We aim to stage a mammoth gathering and hope it marks the beginning of a new chapter in our party's history," he said.

Top leaders of different Islamic and other parties have been invited to the rally.

The party's other demands are: trial of all incidents of genocide; necessary basic reforms; implementation of the July Charter and Declaration; rehabilitation of families of those martyred or injured in the July uprising; holding the national election under a proportional representation (PR) system; and facilitating voting rights for over one crore expatriates.

According to party leaders, organisational activities have been carried out under the direct supervision of Jamaat's ameer and other top leaders both in Dhaka and across the country, to make the rally a success.

The main event is scheduled to begin at 2:00pm, with party chief Shafiqur Rahman in the chair.

Zubair says around 10,000 buses and 2,000 microbuses have been hired to transport party activists from various parts of the country.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Railway has approved the operation of four pairs of special trains upon the request of Jamaat for their rally.

In addition, two to three extra coaches have been arranged on Dhaka-bound trains from Rajshahi, Syedpur, and other districts. The party will cover all related expenses, he added.

Following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5 last year, several political parties including the BNP and Islami Andolon held major rallies in the capital.

Jamaat, however, staged only one rally at the Purana Paltan intersection, calling for the release of then-imprisoned (now freed) leader ATM Azharul Islam. It did not organise any other significant public gathering in the city until now.

Party Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar acknowledged the rally may cause some inconvenience and traffic congestion, adding, "On behalf of Jamaat-e-Islami ameer, we sincerely apologise in advance to the people and residents of Dhaka."

"To minimise public suffering, we have deliberately avoided using the city's roads for the rally," he added.

Party leaders said nearly 6,000 volunteers will be deployed across 20 points, each assigned to different divisions. They will wear uniforms identifying them as volunteers. For those coming from outside Dhaka and nearby districts, at least 15 parking areas have been arranged for their vehicles.

Fifteen medical booths will be set up inside and around Suhrawardy Udyan for first aid. Each booth will have multiple beds and two MBBS doctors, along with emergency medicines and ambulance services.

An IT team will support the event, with drone-to-drone cameras capturing high-quality video. The rally will be broadcast live on LED screens at the venue and streamed on Facebook, YouTube, and other social media platforms.