Ali Riaz on Sunday urged people to vote ‘yes’ in the upcoming February referendum, saying it is necessary to prevent the recurrence of enforced disappearances and killings witnessed in the country over the past 16 years.
“Over the past 16 years, the country was run under fascist rule marked by enforced disappearances, killings, and many other heinous crimes,” he said.“To ensure that such crimes do not happen again in the future, we must take a stand in favour of a ‘yes’ vote in the upcoming referendum and motivate the people accordingly.”
He made the remarks at the ‘Barishal Divisional Imam’ conference held at Bell’s Park in the city at 11:30am, organised to campaign for the referendum and encourage voters.
Outlining the future roadmap of the July National Charter, he said differences of opinion may exist, but for the welfare of the country everyone must remain united in support of a ‘yes’ vote in the referendum.
Monir Haider was also present at the conference.
He warned that if the ‘yes’ side does not win the referendum, killer-mafia fascists could return, and cautioned that they are conspiring to destabilise Bangladesh by spending thousands of crores of taka siphoned out of the country.
Others present at the event included Religious Affairs Ministry Secretary Md Kamal Uddin, Barishal Divisional Commissioner Mohammad Mahfuzur Rahman, Islamic Foundation Barishal Divisional Director Agriculturist Md Nurul Islam, Bangladesh Police Barishal Range DIG Md Manzur Morshed Alam, Barishal Metropolitan Police Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam, and Barishal Divisional Imam Association President Maulana Abdul Hai Nizami, among others.
