The 11-party alliance has urged the government not to go against the will of the people by using the power of majority. The leaders of the alliance said that many people in the past have acquired authoritarian and fascist characters by trying to show the power of majority. The government must learn from history and return from that path.Advertisement
The call was made after a meeting of top leaders of the 11-party unity at the official residence of the opposition leader on Minto Road in the capital on Thursday afternoon. Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar made these remarks at a press briefing after the meeting.
The main topic of discussion at the meeting was the preparation for the Dhaka-Rangpur long march on September 19 with seven-point demands. The political situation in the country, the implementation of the referendum verdict, and the process of amending the constitution were also discussed.
Politics
Golam Parwar said, “There has never been a case in the history of the world where a referendum verdict has been annulled. But the government that came to power in the name of democracy has crushed the aspirations of the people by rejecting 70 percent of the ‘yes’ votes on the strength of its majority.”
He said that just because there is a majority, one should not go against the will of the people.
He alleged that the law of the Quran and Sunnah has been changed by the majority and the Heba law has been interfered with. The verdict given by 70 percent of the people is also being trampled on. He also claimed that there is a conspiracy to change the long-standing law of local government elections and disqualify MPO teachers from the elections.
Golam Parwar said, ‘From here we will ask the government to come back.’
He said that at 11 am, a meeting of the top leaders of the 11-party unity was held under the chairmanship of opposition leader and Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman. In addition to reviewing the progress of preparations for the long march, various government decisions and political crises were discussed there.
Government
Golam Parwar said, the meeting discussed the issue of mobilizing the movement and involving the people by keeping the seven-point demands in mind. The 11-party unity rejected the process of amending the constitution by ignoring the referendum and not forming the Constitutional Reform Council. He said that the initiative to start unilateral activities of the special committee for this process was also opposed.
Long March on September 19
Golam Parwar said that the inaugural public meeting will be held on Manik Mia Avenue in the capital from 7 am to 8 am on Saturday. After that, the convoy will set off for Rangpur. Along the way, the first road meeting will be held at Bhogra Bypass in Gazipur and the second at Jalfoi Bypass in Tangail.
After that, it is expected to cross the Jamuna Bridge and reach Hatikumrul More in Sirajganj between 12 noon and 12:30 pm. Zuhr prayers will be offered there. Later, there will be a road meeting in Matidali in Bogra and in the evening in Palashbari in Gaibandha. Finally, the long march will end with a closing program at the Rangpur Zilla School Ground. The published program information also mentions five road meetings in Gazipur, Tangail, Sirajganj, Bogra and Gaibandha and a closing rally in Rangpur.
Golam Parwar said that if you want to join the long march, the convoy of vehicles from your respective districts will join behind the convoy. There will be 8 to 9 vehicles from the cultural department, volunteers, security, medical, ambulance, information technology and media departments, including the vehicle. Participants have been asked to bring food, water and essential items in their own vehicles.
Assurance of peaceful program
Golam Parwar sought the cooperation of the countrymen to make the long march a success. He expressed regret if any problem was caused due to the program. At the same time, he sought the cooperation of the police administration, civil society, traffic, intelligence agencies, and the deputy commissioners and superintendents of police of each district along the route.
He said the 11 parties’ programs will be violence-free and peaceful. They have no concerns about any irregular instability, chaos or vandalism.
However, he urged people to come back from that mindset if someone deliberately wants to destabilize the country by obstructing peaceful and democratic programs. Golam Parwar said, “We don’t want any chaos, we won’t allow it. So why would you unnecessarily create chaos and make a peaceful country unstable?”
Also present at the press briefing were Jamaat-e-Islami’s Assistant Secretary General and Coordinator of the 11-Party Unity Hamidur Rahman Azad, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis Secretary General Maulana Jalaluddin Ahmed, and Labor Party Chairman Mustafizur Rahman Iran.
