Massive Turnout at Suhrawardy Udyan for Hefazat-e-Islam Rally

Thousands of leaders and activists of Hefazat-e-Islam gathered at Dhaka’s historic Suhrawardy Udyan on Saturday morning for a pre-announced grand rally to press home their five-point demand, including the immediate withdrawal of cases against their members.

The rally, which began around 9 am, is scheduled to continue until 1 pm, according to organisers. Participants from various parts of the country started arriving as early as 7 am, with several thousand already filling the grounds by mid-morning.

Sources indicate that around 300 cases are currently pending against Hefazat leaders. Among their key demands are justice for those killed during the 2013 Shapla Chattar crackdown, as well as the deaths during protests against the Indian Prime Minister’s 2021 visit and the recent fatalities during the July–August 2024 unrest.

The group also called for the cancellation of the proposed commission on women’s rights reform and urged an end to what they described as the mass killings and persecution of Muslims in Palestine and India.