Chattogram 11-Party Alliance has announced a march from Dhaka towards Chattogram on Saturday (September 5), demanding the fulfillment of people’s legitimate demands and reforms to the state. As part of the concluding programme of the march, a large rally will be held at the historic Laldighi Maidan in Chattogram at 5.15pm on the same day.
The programme was announced at a press conference held last Thursday afternoon at the Chattogram metropolitan office of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami at the BIA Bhaban in the city. The written statement was presented by Muhammad Shahjahan, Assistant Secretary General of the Central Executive Council of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and Director of the Chattogram region.
He said the march and rally were being organised to strengthen demands for the fulfillment of people’s legitimate rights and state reforms amid the country’s current political, economic and law-and-order situation. Leaders, activists and ordinary people from different parts of the country are expected to participate in the programme, he said.
Muhammad Shahjahan said people have been living amid prolonged crises and uncertainty due to rising prices of essential commodities, shortages of electricity, fuel, gas and fertiliser, and deterioration of the law-and-order situation. He also alleged that narrow partisan interests have affected various sectors of the state.
He further said that many important issues remain unresolved in implementing the aspirations for change expressed by the people through the July 2024 mass uprising.
At the press conference, the 11-party alliance announced six demands. These are:
The verdict of the referendum must be implemented immediately.
A fair and impartial trial must be ensured for the July massacre. The alliance demanded impartial investigations and trials into every killing and human rights violation, irrespective of political identity.
The shortages of electricity, fuel, gas and fertiliser must be resolved immediately.
Market syndicates and artificial price hikes must be stopped to control the rising prices of essential commodities.
The law-and-order situation must be improved, with effective action taken against theft, mugging, robbery, terrorism, extortion and drugs.
Narrow partisan influence in state institutions and the administration must be ended, and the state must be governed on the basis of merit, competence and principles of justice.
Muhammad Shahjahan said the main objective of the march was to present the legitimate demands of the people before the government through peaceful and democratic means and to unite the people around these demands.
He said the programme would be held in a peaceful, disciplined and democratic manner. Participants have been urged to act responsibly and show the utmost respect for law and order. Necessary instructions have also been given to volunteers and other responsible personnel to maintain discipline at the rally venue and ensure the safety and overall cooperation of participants, he added.
He called upon the administration to extend full cooperation to the peaceful and democratic programme and ensure necessary security measures so that the rally could be held without disruption. He also urged people from all sections of society, including residents of Chattogram, to participate peacefully in the march and rally.
Among those present at the press conference were Jamaat-e-Islami Central Working Committee members Professor Ahsanullah Bhuiyan and Alhaj Shahjahan Chowdhury; Central Majlis-e-Shura members Muhammad Zafar Sadeq and Professor Nurul Alam Chowdhury; Jamaat Central Working Committee member and Chattogram Metropolitan Ameer Muhammad Nazrul Islam; Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis Chattogram Metropolitan President Maulana Emdadullah Sohail; National Citizen Party (NCP) Chattogram Metropolitan Convener Mir Mohammad Shoaib; Bangladesh Nezam-e-Islam Party Chattogram Metropolitan Ameer Maulana Ziaul Hossain; and Jatiya Ganatantrik Party (JAGPA) Chattogram Metropolitan President Abu Mozafar Md. Awlad, among leaders of different political parties.