Protest will continue until referendum verdict is implemented: Dr. Shafiqur Rahman

Opposition Leader and Bangladesh Jamaat e Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman has announced that the movement will go on until the referendum verdict is implemented. He said the alliance will keep giving programmes one after another until its demands are met. He also said that if a call comes to go from Khulna to Dhaka, people must take the rural Bengal people with them.

He said this yesterday afternoon as chief guest at a rally at Shibbari Mor in Khulna. The 11 Party Alliance organised the rally for its seven point demands, as part of its long march.

Dr. Shafiqur Rahman said the alliance’s demands are not party demands or election demands. He said they are the demands of every citizen of the country. He said the alliance has joined the movement for the trial of the July mass killings and other killings of the last 15 and a half years. It also wants an end to extortion, a stop to money laundering and a guarantee of fertiliser for farmers.

The Opposition Leader criticised the government. He said that after getting a majority in parliament, the government is trying to avoid the referendum issue. He said the government runs campaigns on distributing various cards, but people may not be getting real benefits from them. He also accused the government of putting extra pressure on the public through gas and electricity bills.

The Jamaat ameer raised the fertiliser crisis faced by farmers. He said farmers must get the fertiliser they need. He also raised allegations of bribery in recruitment and in other sectors, and demanded an end to these irregularities.

He said the 11 Party Alliance does not want victory only for itself. He said it wants victory and freedom for every citizen of the country. He said the movement will go on until a Bangladesh free from exploitation and discrimination, and full of humanity, is built. He pledged not to betray the nation. He said he fears no one except Allah and will not compromise on getting just demands met.

Bangladesh Jamaat e Islami Secretary General Mr. Mia Golam Parwar spoke as special guest at the programme. Khulna Metropolitan Jamaat e Islami Ameer Mr. Muhammad Mahfuzur Rahman presided over the rally. Metropolitan Jamaat Secretary and Khulna 2 constituency Member of Parliament Mr. Advocate Sheikh Jahangir Hossain Helal conducted the programme.

Mr. Qari Habibullah Belali recited from the Holy Quran at the start of the programme. The long march of the 11 Party Alliance began on Saturday morning from Dhaka towards Khulna and Kushtia. It aims to press the seven point demands. These include implementing the referendum verdict, trying the July mass killings, ending the crisis of electricity, oil, gas and fertiliser, and stopping the rise in prices of daily essentials.

According to the organisers, more than one thousand vehicles joined the long march. Leaders, activists and supporters of the 11 Party Alliance took part in the rally at Shibbari Mor in Khulna.