“At the time of the election everyone went to the people to ask for votes. The people gave their support with a ‘yes’ vote. So now we want to see that ‘yes’ vote implemented. We want no evasion.” The Amir of Jamaat-e-Islami and Leader of the Opposition in the Jatiya Sangsad, Shafiqur Rahman, said this at a rally held today, Saturday, at the Government Alia Madrasah ground in the city.
He said: “We want no more fascism in Bangladesh. If you go to establish fascism again, your fate will be like Sheikh Hasina’s. We will not betray July. We will not stop until extortion, corruption and misrule are removed from the country. Our struggle will continue until the people’s demands are met. Staying beside the people, we will continue our movement and our struggle.”
The 11-party alliance led by Jamaat-e-Islami held the divisional rally in Sylhet to demand the implementation of the referendum verdict, reform of the constitution and the trial of the former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her associates.
On Sylhet’s roads, the Jamaat Amir remarked: “Sylhet’s roads have been under work for a long time, but nothing is being resolved. You do not have to go to the sea to see the waves of the sea; you can see them on the Sylhet-Dhaka highway.”
The rally was chaired by the chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and former minister Colonel (Retd) Oli Ahmad, Bir Bikram. He said political parties need to play a responsible role in running the state in line with the people’s expectations.
As a special guest, the convener of the Jatiya Nagorik Party (NCP) and opposition chief whip, Nahid Islam, called for the implementation of the commitments made by political parties to realise the spirit of the July mass uprising.
The Amir of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, Mamunul Haque, stressed in his speech the reform of the constitution, the establishment of justice and the guarantee of people’s rights.
Others who spoke as special guests were the acting Amir of the Nezam-e-Islam Party, Abdul Kaiyum Subhani; the Amir of Khelafat Andolon, Habibullah Miaji; the chairman of the AB Party, Mujibur Rahman Manju; the chairman of the Labour Party, Dr Mostafizur Rahman Iran; the JAGPA spokesperson Rashed Pradhan; and the chairman of the Bangladesh Development Party, A K M Amjadul Islam Chan.
Jamaat-e-Islami and the parties of the alliance had campaigned extensively across Sylhet for several days ahead of the rally. Leaders and workers from various districts and upazilas of the division took part. A crowd of leaders and workers was seen at the Alia Madrasah ground and the surrounding areas from the morning.
Earlier, at a press conference at the Alia Madrasah ground on Friday, the central leader of the 11-party unity and Jamaat’s central assistant secretary-general, Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair, said their movement to realise the aspirations of the July mass uprising is continuing. He alleged that the government has failed to implement the commitments made by political parties in the July charter and has retreated from its promise on the question of constitutional reform.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report