Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar today urged the government not to deepen public distrust by obstructing the 11-party alliance’s planned long march towards Chattogram from Dhaka.

The government has spent six months in office amid a crisis of public trust and has failed to dispel doubts over the implementation of the July Charter, he said at an exchange of views with journalists this afternoon.

The long march is scheduled to begin with a one-hour rally at Shapla Chattar in Dhaka from 7:00am to 8:00am on September 5.

The convoy will then hold roadside rallies at Kanchpur in Narayanganj, Paduar Bazar in Cumilla, Mohipal in Feni and Mirsarai before concluding with a rally at Laldighi Maidan in Chattogram.

Porwar said around 1,000 vehicles would join the convoy from Dhaka, with more expected to join along the route. Leaders and activists travelling with the convoy would remain in their vehicles, while only designated top leaders would get down to address the roadside rallies.

Terming the remarks made by some ministers that the long march would need 100,000 litres fuel for the event as “ridiculous”, Porwar said, “The vehicles were scheduled to run anyway. Those that were already on the roads will now be a part of the long-march convoy. Stopping the use of vehicles cannot solve the fuel crisis. Vehicles will run, and the crisis must also be resolved."

Asked about possible traffic congestion, he said organisers would try to keep one lane of the highway open for regular traffic while the convoy used the other. He apologised in advance for any disruption the programme might cause.

Porwar said the organisers were not anticipating any untoward incidents and had informed police about the programme. They had also sought cooperation from other political parties, including the BNP, he added.

Nasiruddin Patwary, chief coordinator of the National Citizen Party (NCP), said the alliance would put up strong resistance if the long march was obstructed.

Rashed Pradhan, spokesperson for Jatiya Ganatantrik Party, alleged that artificial traffic congestion had been created on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway in recent days following the announcement of the programme. He expressed hope that the long march would not face any obstruction.