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RANGPUR: Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Dr Shafiqur Rahman has warned that the eight-point demands of the 11-party alliance could turn into a single-point demand “at any time” if the situation requires.
“Allah knows what will happen after the long march,” he said, adding, “Any of the eight points can turn into one point at any time in the interest of the nation.”
He made the remarks at the concluding rally of the Dhaka-Rangpur long march organised by the 11-party alliance at the Rangpur Zilla School ground on Saturday night.
The alliance organised the long march with eight demands, including implementation of the referendum verdict and trial of those responsible for the July mass killings.
“Everyone wants something to happen. Before that happens, we hope good sense prevails in the government,” Shafiqur said at the rally, which began around 9:30pm.
“We will not sit idle. We will give our lives, but we will not give up July,” he said.
“Your aspirations will be fulfilled. InshaAllah, the country will be free from domination and extortion,” he added.
Earlier in the day, the long march began with an inaugural rally at Manik Mia Avenue in Dhaka at 7am.
Addressing the rally, Shafiqur said the eight-point demand could become nine or 10 points and could eventually turn into a single-point demand if the nation required it.
“When it turns into a single-point demand, the situation will become very serious. Learn from the recent past before facing such a situation,” he said.
“We have taken to the streets with the demands of 180 million people. We will return home only after securing those demands,” he said.
The long march held roadside rallies in Gazipur, Tangail, Sirajganj, Bogura and Gaibandha on its way to Rangpur.
Speaking at a roadside rally at Dhunat intersection in Sherpur upazila of Bogura around 4pm, Shafiqur claimed that nearly 70 per cent of the people had voted “yes” in the referendum.
“But the government ignored the referendum verdict, deceived the people and insulted them. We have taken to the streets to respond to that insult,” he said.
Organisers claimed that at least five lakh people from the eight districts of Rangpur division attended the concluding rally.
The eight demands of the 11-party alliance include implementation of the referendum verdict, trial of those responsible for the July mass killings, resolving shortages of electricity, fuel, gas and fertiliser, controlling the rising prices of essentials, ending corruption, extortion and land grabbing, improving law and order, ending narrow partisanisation, and immediately implementing the Teesta Master Plan.
The alliance had earlier raised six demands during its Dhaka-Chattogram long march on September 5. The demands to end corruption, land grabbing and extortion and to implement the Teesta Master Plan were subsequently added to the Rangpur programme.