A “special message” will be sent to the government from Tuesday’s rally of 8 parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami, who are protesting for a five-point demand, including a referendum before the national parliamentary election for the implementation of the July Charter.
By turning the rally into a grand assembly with the presence of hundreds of thousands of people, the parties aim to demonstrate public opinion in favour of their demands to the government.
Party leaders said these things at a press conference organised at the central office of Islami Andolan Bangladesh in Purana Paltan in the capital on Monday evening.
The parties include: Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Khelafat Majlis, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan, Bangladesh Nezam-e-Islam Party, National Democratic Party (Jagpa), and Bangladesh Development Party.
Their five-point demands include: issuing the order to implement the July Charter, holding a referendum before the national election, implementing the PR system, trying the genocide during the July uprising, and banning the 14-party alliance alongside the Awami League.
Speaking at the press conference held under the banner of the 8 agitating parties was Jamaat’s Assistant Secretary General AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad. He said, the rally in Dhaka will send a message to the government about what the people of the country want. We hope the government will understand the people’s voice.He said, all preparations, including informing the police to make the rally successful, have been completed.
Not from the entire country, but leaders and activists from Dhaka and surrounding districts will participate in the rally. The venue for the rally has been fixed at Purana Paltan intersection itself. The rally will start at 2pm.
Azad said, the implementation of reforms is being delayed because of the BNP. The party is speaking against holding a referendum for implementing the Accord, citing the constitution.
“The constitution has a provision for holding elections every five years. Then why are we holding the election in 2026? Furthermore, the current interim government is not constitutional anyway,” he added.
In response to journalists’ questions, he said, there will be no compromise on the issue of issuing the order to implement the July Charter and holding a referendum. The government is delaying the matter due to pressure from the BNP.
Before the press conference, leaders of the eight parties held an emergency meeting. Top leaders of the eight parties, including the Secretary General of Islami Andolan, Yunus Ahmad, were present at the meeting.
The 8 parties announced their programmes after a meeting on November 3. The announced programmes included a mass march on 6 November and submitting a memorandum to the chief adviser, and a grand rally in Dhaka on 11 November.
Furthermore, the parties have been protesting for their five-point demands for over two months now. Their 5th phase of programmes is currently ongoing. The parties will announce further programmes after Tuesday’s rally.
