Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Opposition Leader Shafiqur Rahman has said their movement will continue until the rights of the people are established, describing the Dhaka-Chattogram long march as a programme in support of the country’s 180 million people.
The long march began from Shapla Chattar in Dhaka at around 8:30am today, after an inaugural rally at 7:00am.
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Photo: Rashed Shumon
“Our long march is on behalf of 180 million people. Our demands are clear. People are suffering from gas, electricity and water crises. Yet they still have to pay their bills,” Shafiqur said at the rally.
“Our movement will continue until the rights of the 180 million people of this country are established,” he said.
“We have taken to the streets to establish people’s rights. We will return home only after establishing those rights, In Sha Allah,” he added.
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Photo: Palash Khan
The Jamaat-led 11-party alliance is holding the programme with demands including implementation of the referendum verdict, trial of the 2024 July massacre, an end to shortages of electricity, fuel, gas and fertiliser, curbing price hikes of essentials, ending extortion and corruption, improving law and order, and stopping narrow partisanisation.
At the programme, Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam said the long march belonged to the people.
“If the government obstructs the long march, we will reach Chattogram overcoming all obstacles, and the 11-party alliance’s six-point demand will turn into a single-point demand,” he said.
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Photo: Rashed Shumon
Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis Ameer Maulana Mamunul Haque accused the government of betraying the nation.
“If it tries to mislead the nation after taking power, our hands will not tremble even an inch to pull it down,” he said.
Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar said the government had failed to ease people’s suffering, which is increasing day by day.
He accused the government of betraying the people by not implementing the referendum verdict and breaking all its promises.
“The government must admit its mistakes at parliament and take steps to reform the Constitution,” he said.
The rally began with recitation from the Holy Quran. Jamaat Assistant Secretary General and 11-party alliance Coordinator Dr AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad delivered the opening speech.
Liberal Democratic Party President and former minister Col (retd) Oli Ahmed Bir Bikram, among other top leaders of the alliance, also spoke at the rally.
The march is scheduled to end at Laldighi Maidan in Chattogram, with roadside rallies planned at Truck Stand near Kanchpur Bridge in Narayanganj, Paduar Bazar Bishwaroad in Cumilla, Mohipal in Feni and Mirsharai.
The number of vehicles joining the march has been a matter of discussion in recent days. On Thursday, NCP Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari said the number had been reduced from 5,000–6,000 to around 1,000 to minimise public inconvenience. However, Mia Golam Parwar said yesterday that they had learnt around 1,500 vehicles would join the convoy.
The alliance leaders had earlier said the convoy would use one side of the highway so that regular traffic could continue on the other. They also held meetings with police authorities to ensure the march remained peaceful and orderly.
The alliance has planned further long marches from Dhaka to Rangpur on September 19, Khulna on October 10 and Sylhet on October 24. A grand rally in Dhaka on November 14 is scheduled to conclude the programme.
