Jamaat Leader Calls for Dhaka Showdown to Press July Charter Demands

Bangla Press Desk:  Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Opposition Leader Shafiqur Rahman on Saturday called on the countrymen to prepare for a major forthcoming demonstration in the capital to push the BNP government into implementing the referendum verdict and the July Charter.

“Fortresses must be established in every people’s house, and this fight will continue until fascism, extortion, corruption and misrule are eliminated from the country,” Shafiqur said at a Sylhet divisional rally organised by the Jamaat-led 11-party alliance at the Government Alia Madrasa in the district.

Shafiqur claimed he and his allies have toured almost the entire country, and everywhere met people’s clear demand: the referendum verdict must be implemented.

Therefore, people will not spare the government if their demand is rejected, Shafiqur warned at the rally organised by the Jamaat-led 11-party alliance at the Government Alia Madrasa in the district.

The BNP is following the same footsteps Awami League set by heavily politicising every sector and giving a green light to corruption, Shafiqur alleged.

Jamaat activists will rather lay down their lives rather than seeing the aspirations of July Martyrs get snubbed, Shafiqur further said.

Jamaat will not betray its duty to the July Uprising participants and the countrymen nor will it let others to do so, he said.

Around 70% of the voters backed the state reform proposals and the July Charter in the February referendum, but the government is continuing to ignore the people’s verdict, the Jamaat chief alleged.

He said it was unfortunate that those now in power were too once oppressed by the ousted Awami League regime. However, the ruling BNP has now forgotten those black days, Shafiqur said.

During the July Uprising against Awami League, people showed that they can embrace martyrdom, gunshots, and life-long injuries in order to end fascist rule. They will not hesitate to do so against the BNP government, Shafiqur said.

In the same rally, NCP Convener Nahid Islam said youths have been rising up in different countries following the July Uprising. But unfortunately, whereas the governments in all these foreign countries are accepting the youths’ demands, the BNP government is walking in the wrong direction.

“We thought that the BNP government will follow youth’s aspirations, but they are doing the opposite,” he said.

Amendments to the constitution are trivial reforms and will not bring fundamental changes, he said. Furthermore, politicisation of the electoral process will not improve the situation, he added.

After the Sylhet rallies, greater movement will be staged through a grand mass rally in the capital, Nahid said, adding the opposition won’t cooperate with the government afterwards.

The government cannot complete its five-year tenure if it does not implement the July Charter and referendum verdict, Nahid added.

Liberal Democratic Party President Col (retd) Oli Ahmed urged the government to implement the July Charter.

He warned that if political allies, Jamaat chief Shafiqur, NCP chief Nahid Islam, and Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish chief Mamunul Haque, joined hands, they could oust the government within a week.

These three leaders could gather 20-30 lakh people in the capital, block all the entry routes and force the government to meet their demands, or at worst, resign, Oli Ahmed said, addressing Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.

He called on Tarique to avoid listening to “others,” and rather think about the true benefit of the people. Only by working for the people and honouring their verdict, can the PM live in the hearts of masses, the retired army colonel said.