Play store
Opposition Leader in Parliament and Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Dr Shafiqur Rahman has warned that the 11-party alliance will launch a broader movement if its six-point demands are not met, saying extortionists, looters and corrupt individuals would ultimately be defeated.
Speaking as the chief guest at the concluding rally of the 11-party alliance’s Dhaka-Chattogram Long March at Lal Dighi Maidan in Chattogram on Saturday night, Shafiqur said the programme was intended as a warning to the government.
“This is the first long march of the patriotic 11-party alliance. Today’s programme is meant to warn the government, but the next long marches may not be like this,” he said.
Swearing in the name of Allah, the Jamaat chief said none of the six demands had been raised for the benefit of the 11 parties alone.
“Every one of these demands concerns the interests of 180 million people of the country,” he said.
Addressing the government, Shafiqur alleged that promises made to the people were being broken.
“Our fingers are still straight. If necessary, they will bend. We have been forced to take to the streets,” he said.
He alleged that the government had betrayed the people by ignoring the mandate of the referendum.
“The verdict given by 70 percent of the people must be implemented. We will secure its implementation,” he said.
Shafiqur said a call for a broader movement would come if the demands were not met and added that the programme would not be dependent on any festival or occasion.
“Those involved in crime, extortion, looting and corruption will ultimately be defeated in the people’s movement to establish their rights,” he said.
The 11-party alliance organised the concluding rally at Lal Dighi ground, widely known as a historic centre of political movements, over six demands. These include implementation of the referendum mandate, trial of those responsible for the July killings, an end to shortages of electricity, gas and fertiliser, measures to curb rising prices of essential commodities, improvement of law and order, and an end to partisan control of state institutions.
The rally was chaired by Liberal Democratic Party President Colonel (retd) Oli Ahmed, Bir Bikram.
Shafiqur said Chattogram, which he described as a cradle of movements, struggles and independence, had become the starting point of a new political movement.
He alleged that the present government was following the same path as the previous administration.
“Before the election, it was said that elected representatives at every level would run the country. But are those appointed as administrators elected representatives?” he asked.
He also questioned whether the BNP had kept its pre-election commitment regarding the referendum after assuming power.
“Everyone had said before the election that they would vote ‘yes’ in the referendum. But has the BNP kept that promise after coming to power? They themselves have created the crisis,” he alleged.
The opposition leader said the country continued to face many of the same problems that existed under the unelected government, including shortages of gas, electricity and fertiliser.
He also referred to public complaints over what he described as “ghost bills” for electricity and alleged that ruling party activists were becoming involved in violence, theft and extortion.
Questioning the tenure of the Chattogram City Corporation mayor, Shafiqur said the people should decide whether allowing a mayor to remain in office indefinitely after the expiry of his term amounted to authoritarian behaviour.
On enforced disappearances and killings, he said the people wanted justice for those responsible for the killings at Shapla Chattar and Pilkhana, deaths during the 2024 movement and the establishment of the secret detention facilities known as Aynaghar.
He pledged to continue the movement until justice was secured.
In his presidential address, Colonel (retd) Oli Ahmed alleged that the country was now facing a situation worse than that of BAKSAL. He criticised the appointment of unelected administrators in different places and urged party leaders and activists to prepare for future movements.
Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish Ameer Allama Mamunul Haque alleged that many people had sacrificed their lives for the dream of building a fascism-free and discrimination-free Bangladesh, but the BNP had betrayed that dream after assuming power.
He said a referendum was not a “toy” but a political commitment.
“If the referendum mandate is treated as a matter of mockery, people will again take to the streets,” he said, adding that the movement could eventually develop into a campaign to bring down the government.
National Citizens Party Convener and Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam MP said the historic long march had successfully reached Chattogram and received an unprecedented response from people along the route.
He said the government should admit its failure if it was unable to resolve the problems inherited from the previous authoritarian administration.
Nahid alleged that failure to form a constitutional reform council in line with the referendum mandate would amount to a betrayal of the people. He also accused the government of establishing what he described as “parliamentary authoritarianism” by preventing elected MPs from functioning effectively.
NCP Chief Organiser Sarjis Alam said the 2024 long march had been aimed at dismantling the seat of authoritarian rule, while the 2026 long march was aimed at building Bangladesh.
He alleged that chaos was being created in the country through shortages of gas and electricity and widespread extortion.
Jamaat Secretary General Professor Mia Golam Parwar said the large crowds seen along the route demonstrated that no government could survive if it stood against the people.
He said the journey beginning from Chattogram would add a new dimension to the movement against those seeking to follow what he described as the path of authoritarianism.
Islami Chhatra Shibir Secretary General Sibgatullah Sibga said the verdict delivered by 70 percent of voters in the referendum had been ignored.
“If the people’s demands are not respected, they will take to the streets to establish their rights,” he said.
NCP Chief Coordinator Nasir Uddin Patwary said the alliance would realise its six demands “in full” and warned that failure to meet them could turn the six-point movement into a one-point campaign.
He urged party activists to prepare for a broader movement in Dhaka.
AB Party Chairman Mujibur Rahman Manju said people had spontaneously welcomed the long march and alleged that the referendum mandate was being ignored for the government’s own interests.
He said the movement would be intensified if the demands were not implemented.
Leaders of several other parties, including Bangladesh Nezame Islam Party, Bangladesh Labour Party and Jamaat-e-Islami, also criticised various government policies and demanded implementation of the referendum mandate.
Among those addressing the rally were Jamaat leaders Nurul Islam Bulbul MP, Maulana Shamsul Islam and Shahjahan Chowdhury MP; Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish Secretary General Maulana Jalal Uddin Ahmad; LDP Acting Secretary General Billal Hossain Miah; Bangladesh Nezame Islam Party Secretary General Maulana Musa bin Izhar; and several other leaders of the 11-party alliance.
During breaks in the rally, Dhaka’s Saimum Shilpigosthi and Chattogram’s Deshiya Sanskriti Sangsad presented songs and theatrical performances criticising various activities of the government.