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Leader of the Opposition in Parliament and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman on Saturday said the “medicine” prescribed through the opposition alliance’s political programmes had already begun to work, warning that the government could face stronger public resistance if it played with people’s rights.
“We can see that the medicine of our programmes has already started working. Its effects and reactions have begun to appear in different places,” Shafiqur said while addressing the inaugural rally of the Jamaat-led 11-party alliance’s long march from Dhaka to Chattogram.
“You are saying that this or that will happen and that people should speak with restraint. We want to make it clear that if anyone plays with the rights of the people, the people will not speak with restraint either,” he said.
The rally was held at Shapla Chattar in the capital’s Motijheel on Saturday morning before the long march set off for Chattogram.
The programme is scheduled to conclude with a closing rally at Laldighi Maidan in Chattogram, with roadside gatherings planned at five locations along the route.
The opposition alliance is observing the long march to press six demands, including implementation of the referendum mandate, justice for the July killings, resolution of shortages of electricity, fuel, gas and fertiliser, measures to curb rising prices of essential commodities, improvement of law and order, and an end to excessive partisan control of state institutions.
Shafiqur added a seventh demand, saying the existence of extortionists and corrupt individuals would not be tolerated.
“We will not tolerate the existence of any extortionist or corrupt person,” he said.
The Jamaat ameer said the opposition would continue its movement both on the streets and in parliament until the rights of the country’s millions of people were established.
“We have taken to the streets for the people and we will return home only after securing the rights of the people,” he said. “The movement will continue equally in the Jatiya Sangsad until every right of millions of people is established.”
He also said the alliance would not be deterred by obstacles along the route of the long march.
Shafiqur criticised the government over shortages of essential services, alleging that people were facing a lack of gas, water and electricity despite continuing to receive utility bills.
Referring to a young man named Sifat, who was reportedly arrested after expressing frustration over the situation, Shafiqur demanded his release.
“Release him peacefully and properly,” he said, warning that the government should remember the political consequences of popular protests in the country’s history.
NCP Convener Nahid Islam said the long march marked the beginning of a broader movement against what he described as attempts to establish a new form of authoritarian rule.
He warned that if the government attempted to obstruct the long march, the alliance’s six-point programme could turn into a single-point movement.
Liberal Democratic Party President Colonel (retd) Oli Ahmad said the opposition alliance would intensify its movement if the government failed to accept the people’s demands.
He said the opposition had completed the first round of its programmes and had now entered the second phase, warning the government to take the demands seriously.
Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish Ameer Maulana Mamunul Haque said the government should understand the message of the long march, warning that failure to do so could lead to consequences similar to those faced by authoritarian rulers in the past.
Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar alleged that the government was making people’s lives increasingly difficult and had failed to honour its commitment to implement the referendum mandate.
He called on the government to acknowledge its mistakes in parliament and take steps to amend the Constitution for implementing the July Charter.
NCP Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain also criticised the government over the shortages of gas and electricity and alleged restrictions on public expression.
Other speakers included Jamaat Assistant Secretary General Hamidur Rahman Azad, Dhaka South Jamaat Ameer Nurul Islam Bulbul, Dhaka North Jamaat Ameer Selim Uddin, Islami Chhatra Shibir Secretary Sibgatullah, Bangladesh Nezam-e-Islam Party Acting Ameer Abdul Qaiyum Subhani, AB Party Chairman Mujibur Rahman Manju, Bangladesh Labour Party Chairman Mostafizur Rahman Iran, JAGPA Spokesperson Rashed Pradhan, Bangladesh Development Party Chairman Anwarul Islam and Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon Secretary General Mufti Fakhrul Islam.
The rally was jointly moderated by Jamaat’s Dhaka South Secretary Shafiqul Islam Masud and Dhaka North Secretary Rezaul Karim.