E-Petition Submitted to Protect Bandara Mosque as Historic Site

An e-petition has been submitted to Parliament calling for the protection of the Bandara Mosque, also known as Masjid-ul-Sultan Mohamed Shamsuddin, as a historical site.

The petition was submitted three days after Islamic Minister Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed stated that the Bandara Mosque is not listed as a heritage site and expressed interest in discussing the possibility of constructing a new mosque on the same location. The minister also said that a donor had offered to fund the construction of a modern mosque on the site.

The remarks drew widespread criticism on social media, with many calling for the preservation of the existing mosque. Amid the public reaction, Hussain Firushan, a candidate in the upcoming council elections, submitted the e-petition to Parliament requesting formal protection for the mosque.

Firushan stated in the petition that the Bandara Mosque holds significant historical value due to its association with the period of exile and the Maldives’ eventual freedom from British protection. The petition noted that most sites linked to the country’s struggle for independence have already been lost and that the Bandara Mosque is the only remaining structure connected to that period.

Former Maldives National University Vice-Chancellor Dr Hassan Hameed also raised concerns over reports that the government intends to demolish the mosque. He stated that historical buildings are important cultural assets and highlighted what he described as a lack of appreciation among some Maldivians for the country’s history and heritage.