Members of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami have started to arrive at Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital for its national rally on Saturday, with seven key demands.
The event will be presided over by the party’s Amir Dr Shafiqur Rahman. The main program of the rally will officially begin at 2pm.
However, starting from 10am, leaders from district and Dhaka metropolitan levels will deliver speeches, and there will be cultural performances.
Leaders from various like-minded political parties, in addition to Jamaat, are also expected to participate in the rally. Party activists began gathering at Suhrawardy Udyan from Friday night.
It is reported that this is the first time in the country’s history that Jamaat is holding a national rally at Suhrawardy Udyan on its own. Previously, while in alliance with the BNP, Jamaat had participated in some joint rallies.
Since the political shift on August 5 last year, various parties, including BNP, Islami Andolon, and Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh have held large-scale rallies in the capital. In comparison, Jamaat has not held any major rally until now.
The party had only held a rally at Purana Paltan intersection demanding the release of its imprisoned (now freed) leader, ATM Azharul Islam.
The seven demands include:
- Ensuring a level playing field for free, fair, impartial, and peaceful elections
- Justice for all acts of genocide
- Implementation of necessary fundamental reforms
- Implementation of the “July Charter” and its declaration
- Rehabilitation of the families of those martyred or injured in the July uprising
- Introduction of a proportional representation (PR) system in national elections
- Ensuring voting rights for over one crore (10 million) expatriate voters
Advance apology
Jamaat has issued an advance apology to city residents for any potential traffic congestion or inconvenience caused by the national rally and has requested their understanding.
On Friday, Jamaat’s Secretary General Professor Mia Golam Porwar said:
“In the 54 years since independence, we have faced various forms of persecution and lost our constitutional and political rights. The political change brought about by the July 2024 uprising has granted us a certain degree of freedom of speech and political liberty. Our national rally is a continuation of that progress.”
He offered a prior apology to the residents of the capital for any temporary disruption.