Chattogram BNP Convenor and lawmaker Ershad Ullah has termed the upcoming Dhaka-Chattogram long march on 5 September by Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party alliance as a “long exercise” rather than a “long march.”
He made the remarks during an exchange of views with journalists at the city BNP office on Thursday evening. Chattogram BNP Member Secretary Nazimur Rahman and other party leaders and activists were also present on the occasion.
Ershad Ullah said while political parties in a democratic country have the right to organise processions, rallies, or long marches, such programmes cause a massive wastage of state resources.
He claimed that Jamaat-e-Islami currently has vast funds, having allegedly withdrawn around Tk1,500 crore from Islami Bank.
He further alleged that since the party was unable to spend these funds during the election held on 12 February, the money is now being spent on the long march programme.
Criticising the deployment of a large number of vehicles for the long march, Ershad Ullah pointed out that if 1,000 vehicles participate, a substantial volume of fuel oil will be consumed, wasting the country’s valuable resources.
“I think this is not a long march, but their ‘long exercise’,” he said.
Despite his criticism of the movement, the BNP leader acknowledged the democratic rights of political parties, noting that democracy emerged strongly in the country through the 12 February election.
He added that holding processions, rallies, and long marches are part of normal political activities and democratic practices.
Consequently, he asserted, the movement by the Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party alliance will not cause any rift among the political forces that emerged through the July mass uprising.
Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami and the 11-party alliance have scheduled the Dhaka-Chattogram long march and a rally at Laldighi on 5 September to press for several demands.
These demands include the immediate implementation of the public mandate of the referendum, trial of the July genocide, resolution of crises in electricity, oil, gas, and fertiliser, control of commodity prices, and improvement of the law and order situation.
