Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and activists held a protest march and rally in Rangpur against remarks by Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir linking development with the people’s voting preferences.
The Rangpur metropolitan Jamaat organised the march from the Public Library field on Wednesday. It passed City Bazar, Paira Chattar, Jahaj Company Mor, the press club and Grand Hotel Mor before ending at Shapla Chattar, where a rally was held.
Metropolitan Jamaat amir ATM Azam Khan chaired the rally, moderated by secretary KM Anwarul Haque Kajal. District secretary Maulana Enamul Haque and other leaders spoke.
Azam Khan said the minister’s remarks suggested Rangpur lagged behind because people voted for the Jatiya Party or Jamaat instead of the BNP. He said the comments belittled residents’ political awareness and constitutional rights. Choosing a party is a democratic right, and development must not be linked to political preference. The government must ensure fair rights and balanced development for every region.
He demanded jobs, industrialisation, better education and healthcare, modern communications and implementation of major projects including the Teesta master plan. The rally called on Fakhrul to withdraw his remarks. Eleven Jamaat MPs had expressed their anger at a press conference on Tuesday night.
At an event on August 9, Fakhrul said Rangpur people were always left behind because they did not understand what was right, asking how they could expect development if they voted for the Jatiya Party or Jamaat when the BNP was in government.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report