Dhaka, July 19 -- Suhrawardy Udyan turned into a sea of people by midday on Saturday as Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami is holding its first-ever solo national rally at the historic venue, drawing tens of thousands of leaders, activists and supporters from across the country.

The much-hyped gathering marks a significant political moment for the party since the country's independence, as it seeks to reassert its presence ahead of the upcoming national election.

The rally, scheduled to officially begin at 2:00pm, party Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman in the chair.

Jamaat's key demands at the rally include ensuring free, fair and peaceful elections with a level playing field, initiating fundamental political reforms, introducing the July charter and ...