Islamic leaders place 9-point demand at huge Suhrawardy Udyan rally
Thousands of people from across the country are attending the event organised by Ulama Mashayekh Bangladesh
An Islamic conference was held at historic Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital today (5 November), where Islamic leaders put forth a nine-point demand, including justice for the 2013 Shapla Chattar killings and the withdrawal of all cases against them.
Hundreds of thousands of Islamic leaders and their followers converged there for a massive rally aimed at strengthening Islamic teachings and unity.
The event, which drew a huge number of madrasah teachers and students from across the country, started at 9am and ended at 1:30pm.
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Organised by Ulama Mashayekh Bangladesh, the rally has brought together Islamic leaders and scholars from across the country to discuss various issues, including the ongoing debate within the Islamic community regarding the Tablighi Jamaat and its activities in the country.
Supporters of the late Maulana Zubair ul Hassan organised this rally in opposition to Maulana Muhammad Saad Al Kandhalvi of Delhi, a prominent figure in the Tablighi Jamaat.
Speaking at the event, the Islamic leaders emphasised unity within the Muslim community and called for strict adherence to Islamic principles.
They demanded that Bishwa Ijtema will have to be held once, not in two phases. They also demanded that the Ijtema grounds and Kakrail Mosque be kept free from the influence of those who deviate from mainstream Islamic teachings, mainly the followers of Maulana Saad Al Kandhalvi.
They also demanded justice for the recent attack on innocent students by Saad Kandhalvi's supporters at the Tongi Ijtema venue and the prevention of self-declared Amir Saad's entry into Bangladesh.
Their other demands are restricting the entry of Saad's supporters at the Kakrail Mosque and officially declaring the Qadianis as non-Muslims in Bangladesh.
The Bishwa Ijtema, one of the world's largest Muslim gatherings, will be held in two phases in 2025 like the previous years. The first phase will be held from 31 January to 2 February on the banks of the Turag River in Tongi, and the second phase from 7 February to 9 February.
Shah Mohammad Mohibullah Babunagari conducted prayers after the event.
Earlier, thousands of Tablighi Jamaat followers began gathering at Suhrawardy Udyan as early as dawn. By midday, the venue and surrounding areas – Dhaka University, TSC intersection, Doel Chattar, Shahbagh and Matsya Bhaban – were overflowing with attendees.
The extra pressure of vehicles caused gridlocks in surrounding areas of the venue since morning.
Prominent attendees included Khalil Ahmad Qasemi of Hathazari, Allama Abdul Hamid Pir Saheb of Madhupur, Allama Abdul Rahman Hafezzi, Allama Nurul Islam, Adib Saheb Huzur, Maulana Obaidullah Farooq, Maulana Rashidur Rahman, Allama Sheikh Ziauddin, Allama Sheikh Sajidur Rahman, Allama Abdul Quddus of Faridabad, Allama Nurul Islam Olipuri, Maulana Mahfuzul Haque, Maulana Abu Taher Nadvi, Maulana Arshad Rahmani, Maulana Salahuddin Nanupuri, Maulana Mushtaq Ahmad, Principal Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury, Maulana Anwarul Karim, and Maulana Mufti Mohammad Ali
