The alliance will stage the march to demand the implementation of the July Uprising’s aspirations, justice for the July killings, and key state reforms.
Photo: collected
“>
Photo: collected
The Jamaat-e-Islami-led opposition alliance will conduct a march from Dhaka to Chattogram tomorrow (5 September) to demand the implementation of the July Uprising’s aspirations, the realisation of voting rights, justice for the July killings, the fulfilment of public demands, and state reforms.
As the concluding programme of the long march, a rally will be held at 5:15pm at the Laldighi Maidan in Chattogram.
Leaders of the National Citizen Party (NCP) disclosed the details at a press conference at the party’s Chattogram city office in Chawkbazar today.
Presided over by Mir Mohammad Shoaib, convener of Chattogram NCP, the press conference was addressed by SM Suja Uddin, divisional organisational secretary of NCP Chattogram, and Arif Moinuddin, member secretary of Chattogram City NCP.
SM Suja Uddin said, “The importance of the port city of Chattogram in rebuilding a new Bangladesh is immense. It is essential to ensure that the people here receive their fair civic share and rights.”
He added, “Central leaders who have been fighting in the field for a long time will address this rally in Chattogram regarding our role as an opposition party in implementing the aspirations of the July Uprising, improving the law and order situation, and establishing the fair rights of citizens.”
“We hope that a massive public outreach across the entire southern region will be created through a large gathering at Laldighi,” he said.
Mir Mohammad Shoaib, convener of Chattogram City NCP, said, “Our long march is to demand the realisation of the verdict of voting rights, the trial of the July mass killings, resolving the electricity, oil, gas, and fertiliser crisis, curbing the price hike of daily essentials, improving the law and order situation, and stopping narrow partisan politics.”
“Our long march will start from the historic Shapla Chattar tomorrow, Saturday, at 7am. After several roadside rallies along the route, we will gather at the historic Laldighi Maidan in Chattogram,” he said.
Arif Moinuddin, member secretary of Chattogram City NCP, said, “The current government continues to ignore the public mandate. There is no visible trial for the mass killings; killers are celebrating birthdays inside jail, which is extremely shameful.”
He stated, “While people are suffering immensely due to severe gas, fertiliser, and electricity shortages in the country, the government is busy with partisan politics without paying attention to these issues.”
Photo: collected
“>
Photo: collected
“We will confront this government alongside the people and force them to understand the public’s struggles. We have extensive preparations surrounding the long march starting tomorrow at 7am. We believe the entire route will turn into a sea of people,” he added.
Arif Moinuddin further alleged, “Even though we are taking to the streets with public demands, the government is continuously obstructing us. The VIP rooms allocated for our central leaders at the Chattogram Circuit House are not being provided, showing them as booked under two ministers.”
He warned that if any such negative political tactics are attempted, they will be dealt with strictly alongside the people.
Meanwhile, a meeting was held today at the central office of Jamaat in the capital’s Moghbazar. Following the meeting, Jamaat Secretary General and Convener of the Long March Implementation Committee Mia Golam Parwar briefed journalists.
Golam Parwar said the ruling party, which holds administrative, bureaucratic, and state machinery control, is responsible for ensuring the security of public life and property.
After the 13th parliamentary elections, following the formation of the government, the opposition has been playing a systematic, constructive, and responsible role both inside and outside parliament to alleviate public suffering, he alleged.
“We request the government to extend full administrative cooperation to make the opposition’s largest peaceful political programme successful, thereby retaining public trust,” he said.
Warning the authorities, he added that if any ruling party member or government faction creates an adverse environment surrounding the long march, they will lose public confidence and face popular wrath.
“We hope that no one in the government or the ruling party takes such a shortsighted path,” he said.
Parwar further noted that six months have passed since the government took office, yet no initiative has been taken to implement the public mandate of the referendum. Instead, the government has turned its back on executing it, he added.
“Our stance is clear: there is no note of dissent in the referendum’s verdict. The BNP’s note of dissent was rejected in the referendum. We dream of building a dream Bangladesh together through the blood shed in the July Uprising. We are not launching any movement to oust the government; our and the public’s demand is simply for you to accept the public mandate of the referendum and our six-point demand,” he said.
We expect the government to respect our programme and retain the trust of the people,” he added.
About The Author
