Extensive preparations are underway in the port city of Chattogram for the upcoming Dhaka-Chattogram long march and rally organised by the 11-party alliance led by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami on Saturday.
Organisational activities are being carried out at all levels, including grassroots, metropolitan, district, and divisional spheres, as organisers anticipate a massive “human wave” to gather in Chattogram.
Activists of the alliance are actively conducting meetings, coordination sessions, and campaigns across different areas to ensure the success of the event. Separate arrangements have been put in place for welcoming the main convoy, managing vehicle parking, controlling movement within the city, and directing participants to the rally venue.
According to the organisers, the long march and the subsequent rally at the historic Laldighi Maidan will press home several key public demands. These demands include the immediate implementation of the public mandate of the referendum, ensuring justice for the July genocide, resolving crises in electricity, oil, gas, and fertiliser, curbing the price hikes of daily essentials, improving the overall law and order situation, and stopping narrow politicisation.
Principal Muhammad Nurul Amin, the Chattogram convenor of the long march implementation committee, said that their primary goal is to ensure the participation of ordinary citizens in support of these demands.
Preparations at the Laldighi Maidan venue are already in full swing, with stage construction equipment being delivered to the ground. Representatives of the alliance have been regularly inspecting the site, and on Tuesday at around 12pm, central and local leaders, including Chattogram City Jamaat Ameer Muhammad Nazrul Islam, visited the field and spoke to journalists.
The long march will commence in Dhaka and advance towards Chattogram, holding brief street-corner meetings along the highway until it reaches Mirsarai.
Upon the convoy’s arrival at Mirsarai, the entrance to Chattogram, the 11-party alliance will host its first reception for the leaders. From there, a colourful rally will proceed to the GEC Intersection in Chattogram city, where central leaders will receive a formal second reception before heading to Laldighi Maidan.
The main programme at Laldighi Maidan is scheduled to begin at 4pm with a cultural segment running until the Maghrib prayers, after which the main public rally will commence.
Organisational activities have been intensified across every ward and thana of Chattogram Metropolitan City. Mir Shoyaib, the Chattogram City Convenor of the National Citizen’s Party (NCP), said that regular organisational meetings are being held at local levels and have received spontaneous public support, raising strong hopes for a highly successful event.
Chattogram City Jamaat Ameer Muhammad Nazrul Islam confirmed that extensive preparations are complete for the historic Laldighi Maidan rally. He urged all party workers and ordinary citizens to maintain strict discipline, cooperate to ensure a peaceful environment, and avoid any form of provocation or chaos.
Organisers expect a massive turnout at Laldighi Maidan and its surrounding areas, reminiscent of past historic gatherings in the city.
To maintain law and order and ensure a peaceful environment, organisers are coordinating closely with the local administration. A high-level delegation from Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami recently met with the Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) Commissioner to formally brief the police on the programme.
Organisers added that the 11-party alliance has informed the relevant administrative bodies, and the administration has assured them of full cooperation to ensure the event runs smoothly.
To prevent severe traffic congestion and chaos, a dedicated traffic and parking plan has been designed for the port city. Mir Shoyaib explained that the main convoy of buses and other passenger vehicles carrying participants will not enter the inner-city rally route.
Apart from a few designated vehicles carrying central leaders, all other vehicles will be routed to specific parking zones spanning from the City Gate entrance to other designated lanes and alleys, thereby minimising vehicular pressure on the main roads.
Organisers are now executing final preparations across all aspects of the mobilisation, including rallies, receptions, parking, and traffic management.
The 11-party alliance hopes that the long march from Dhaka and the grand rally at Laldighi Maidan will create a visible “human wave”, demonstrating massive public involvement for the peaceful and disciplined realisation of people’s rights.
