A protest rally and gathering were held in Khulna on Friday, May 15, 2026, condemning alleged persecution of Muslims in India’s West Bengal and the reported anti-Bangladesh remarks by West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. The event took place at Dakbangla Square under the initiative of the Khulna District Imam Parishad and later turned into a procession through several city streets. Speakers at the rally demanded that Adhikari publicly apologize to Muslims, warning that failure to do so would not make Muslims responsible for any resulting tensions.

The gathering, presided over by Maulana Golam Kibria, general secretary of the Khulna District Imam Parishad, featured several religious leaders including Maulana Abu Bakar Siddiq, Maulana Nur Said Jalali, Maulana Hekmat Ali, Sheikh Md Nasir Uddin, and Maulana Abdullah Al Mamun. They urged Bangladesh’s parliament to adopt a motion condemning Adhikari’s remarks and cautioned that government silence could be interpreted as support for anti-Muslim sentiment.

The protest procession ended near the Baitun Nur Mosque Complex adjacent to New Market after starting from Dakbangla intersection.