A seminar marking the al-Quds Day was held on Saturday at Bangladesh Medical Association Auditorium in the capital. Rashed Khan Menon, president of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Social Welfare, was present as chief guest while Iranian ambassador to Bangladesh Mansour Chavoshi and former Election Commissioner Brigadier M Sakhawat Hossain attended the seminar as special guests.

Chaired by Shah Kawthar Mustafa Abululayee, president of Al-Quds Committee Bangladesh and chairman of DU’s Philosophy Department, Bangladesh Supreme Court senior lawyer Advocate AKM Badruddoja delivered the welcome address on the occasion.

Rashed Khan Menon, in his speech, said the day is a milestone for every nation involved in the fight for national rights.

“Not only religious feelings but also justice and rights are involved with this day, he said, adding that those who blocked the holy land, including Masjid al-Aqsa, are not only haters of Islam, they are haters of humanity.”

Ambassador Mansour Chavoshi said Imam Khomeini, the undisputed leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, announced the observance of Al-Quds Day on the last Friday of every Ramadan as a means of expressing unity and solidarity with the oppressed Palestinian nation, which is being celebrated internationally in most Muslim countries today. This day is a symbol of the unity of Muslims around the world and a united voice of the Muslim world against the ‘Zionist’ Jews, he added.

Palestinians have been deprived of the free citizenship of an independent land for a long time. To get back their right, the entire Muslim world must unite and demand an independent Palestine before the international community and free the Holy Land, including Masjid al-Aqsa, from the hands of the Jewish occupiers, said the ambassador.

Dr. Syed Muhammad Emdad Uddin, Khatib, Central Mosque, University of Dhaka and Professor Dr. Saiful Islam Khan, Dept. of Persian Language & Literature, University of Dhaka was  present as guests of honor..