Jamaat rally: slogans of thousands participants fill Dhaka streets

Thousands of leaders and activists of Jamaat-e-Islami gathered at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka this morning for their national rally, calling for electoral reforms, Islamic governance, and justice for alleged political violence committed under previous regimes.

Participants -- many clad in white clothing and headbands --marched through key streets of the capital, chanting slogans and carrying placards demanding systemic changes.

Placards carried by demonstrators bore slogans such as, "All the July massacre incidents must be brought to justice," "Ensure the National Election through Proportional Representation," "Ensure level playing field," "The July Charter and Declaration must be implemented," and "We demand Allah's law, we want honest leadership."

The rally was heavily policed by the party's own security arrangement, with several thousand Jamaat volunteers deployed along the route to manage crowds and assist with traffic coordination.

Photo: Md Abbas

During the procession, Jamaat supporters chanted a variety of slogans.

Translated into English, some of the slogans included, "Naraye Taqbir, Allahu Akbar," "May today's rally be successful and meaningful," "Abu Sayeed Mughdho, the battle is not over yet," "Catch every Awami League member, throw them into jail one by one," "This is our country, we will fight for it and realise our seven-point demands," "Light the torch of the Qur'an in every home," "Beware, agents of India, you have been warned," and "Always threatening to leave Bangladesh -- is Bangladesh your family's property?"

The procession significantly disrupted traffic across major areas including Shahbagh, Karwan Bazar, Farmgate, Matsya Bhaban, and Bangla Motor. Shahbagh and Matsya Bhaban remained completely blocked for several hours as supporters took position at intersections.

The party also renewed its demand for justice for political killings and alleged state repression, particularly those that occurred during July last year.