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Mahiuddin Sumon, Tangail Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Ameer and Leader of the Opposition Dr Shafiquur Rahman has said they have taken to the streets to “free the country from a new autocracy”, claiming their movement is aimed at securing the rights of the people.
“This struggle is for the people, for 180 million people. We have taken to the streets with the voice of that struggle. InshaAllah, we will secure your demands,” he said.
He made the remarks on Saturday afternoon at a roadside rally in Nagar Jalfai, Tangail, as the 11-party alliance’s long march from Dhaka to Rangpur passed through the district. The march was organised around an eight-point set of demands.
Shafiquur said the government had started making various comments after seeing the alliance’s second programme following its Dhaka–Chattogram long march.
He alleged that the government had betrayed the 70 percent of voters who voted “yes” in the referendum by failing to implement what he described as the referendum verdict.
The opposition leader also questioned why the government was not implementing the July Charter despite promising to do so before the election.
“Why are you not implementing the July Charter? Why are you not implementing the people’s verdict in the referendum?” he asked, alleging that the BNP had betrayed the nation.
He said their struggle against what he described as misrule would continue and called on people to prepare for a future long march towards Dhaka.
“When the people have taken to the streets, their demands will be met,” he said.
NCP convener and Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam, speaking at the rally, alleged that a “new autocracy” had emerged in Bangladesh and said the country faced a difficult struggle ahead.
He alleged that political patronage had been practised at various levels over the past seven months, saying there had been promises to build a Bangladesh free from corruption, fascism and extortion.
“We will not allow Bangladesh to become such a country,” Nahid said, according to his remarks at the rally.
Liberal Democratic Party Chairman Col (retd) Oli Ahmed said they had joined the programme without seeking personal benefits and wanted the government to fulfil its commitments to the people.
He said the country could not be governed in the same way he alleged the Awami League had governed it.
Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis Ameer Mamunul Haque said the 11-party alliance’s long march had demonstrated that people had taken to the streets to demand their rights.
He called on supporters to remain prepared to respond to future calls for action, saying the government would have to respond in a language it understood if it failed to understand the people’s demands.
The rally began around 10am under the chairmanship of Tangail district Jamaat Ameer Ahsan Habib Masud. The long-march convoy arrived at the venue around 11:30am.
Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar and other senior and local leaders of the 11-party alliance also addressed the rally.
The Dhaka–Rangpur long march began from Manik Mia Avenue in Dhaka on Saturday morning and was scheduled to pass through several districts before concluding with a rally in Rangpur.