Over a million rally in Dhaka in solidarity with Gaza

More than one million people gathered in Dhaka on Saturday for what is being described as Bangladesh’s largest-ever rally in solidarity with Gaza. Organized by the Palestine Solidarity Movement Bangladesh, the “March for Gaza” demonstration saw crowds wave Bangladeshi and Palestinian flags, calling for an end to Israeli military actions in Gaza and urging a boycott of companies linked to Israel.

Participants assembled at Suhrawardy Udyan, with politicians, artists, influencers, and activists addressing the gathering. A joint declaration called on Muslim countries to sever diplomatic and economic ties with Israel and to push for global sanctions against the state. It also urged the reinstatement of a former passport clause that barred Bangladeshi nationals from traveling to Israel.

The rally highlighted the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where more than 50,900 have reportedly been killed and over 2 million are at risk of starvation amid infrastructure destruction and aid restrictions. Speakers emphasized peaceful resistance and consumer boycotts as tools of protest.

Attendees, including teachers and businesspeople, shared personal decisions to avoid products with Israeli ties, citing moral responsibility. Organizers hailed the event as a unified, non-violent demonstration for human rights, drawing international attention to the Gaza crisis.