Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Opposition Leader Shafiqur Rahman on Saturday demanded the immediate release of college student Sifat Abdullah, who was arrested over a Facebook video in which he criticised the BNP government and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman over soaring electricity bills, warning that failure to release him could trigger a strong public backlash.
“Release him. Release him peacefully. If you do not, remember that one Nur Hossain, one Yasmin and one Dr Milon had completely turned the tables on many [in power]. No one can say when one may step on a rotten snail and face the consequences,” he said while addressing the inaugural rally of the 11-party alliance’s long march from Dhaka to Chattogram at Motijheel.
In his speech, Shafiqur said Sifat was taken to a police station and harassed by party activists, saying the young man had been arrested as though his remarks could “turn Bangladesh upside down”.
“Not supporting the language Sifat used, but on the issue he protested, the 18 crore people of Bangladesh will roar as Sifat,” he said.
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The 11-party alliance, led by Jamaat-e-Islami, began the long march from the capital towards Chattogram to press home its six-point demands, including implementation of the people's verdict in the February 12 referendum, trial of the mass killings during the 2024 July Uprising and a resolution to the multi-dimensional energy crisis.
The alliance is also demanding measures to control soaring prices of essential commodities, an end to extortion and corruption, improvements in the law and order situation, and an end to narrow partisanisation.
The Jamaat chief said the alliance’s six-point demands were clear and announced what he described as a seventh demand: that no extortionist or corrupt person would be tolerated in Bangladesh.
“People are fed up with the harassment caused by extortionists. Their rights are being plundered by corrupt people. There is no gas, no water, no electricity. But gas bills are being issued as usual. There are exorbitant electricity bills. And people cannot even speak about the lack of water,” he said.
Also read: Jamaat-led 11-party alliance begin Dhaka-Ctg long march over six-point demands
Shafiqur said the alliance had taken to the streets not for any particular political party or group but on behalf of the country’s 18 crore people.
“We have taken to the streets to secure the rights of the people. We will return home only after securing those rights,” he said.
He said the movement would continue on the streets and in parliament until all the rights of the people were established.
“Our movement will continue on the streets, on the highways and in the national parliament. The movement will continue on all fronts until every right of the 18 crore people is established,” he added.
Speaking at the event, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) President Col (retd) Oli Ahmed, Amar Bangladesh Party (AB Party) Chairman Mujibur Rahman Manju and Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis Amir Mamunul Haque criticised the government and warned of consequences if it failed to follow the “right path”.
Oli Ahmed said people were already expressing regret over voting for the BNP.
“At the age of 88, I have never heard that after a government is formed, people say that this government will not last. When do people say this? All the time, I see women and men hitting their own shoes against their foreheads, saying they will never vote for the BNP again,” he said.
He said the government would be compelled to accept the people’s demands if it failed to do so voluntarily.
“We have said at various meetings that if you do not accept the demands of the people, you will be compelled to do so on behalf of the 11-party alliance. That will be done constitutionally. We have completed our first round and started the second round. You are still sitting there; follow the right path. Otherwise, you will have to follow the path of those who have fled the country,” he said.
Oli urged participants to maintain discipline during the long march and warned against attempts to obstruct it.
“Our procession will be peaceful and disciplined. If anyone creates obstacles on your and our way to reaching our destination, it will be dealt with with greater force,” he said.
Manju said people had become deeply disappointed with the activities of the political party that came to power promising the 31-point reform agenda and pledging to implement the July Charter to the letter.
“How will the people trust those who ignore the referendum verdict, break their promise not to increase electricity and gas prices by increasing them, and engage in widespread politicisation despite promising not to politicise?” he said.
He said ordinary people were now regretting voting for the BNP, citing load-shedding and “ghost electricity bills” as sources of public anger. He called for an end to the politics of disregarding the people’s mandate and the culture of verbal abuse.
Manju also said the current BNP government had no notable achievement in the past six months apart from the distribution of only 50,000 family cards.
Mamunul Haque questioned why the alliance was taking a hardline approach against the government only six months after it came to power.
“We want to say that the government betrayed the nation before even six minutes of the beginning of its journey had passed,” he said.
He warned the government against taking the country in the wrong direction.
“If you sit on the seat of power of this nation and want to lead the nation down the wrong path, we will hold your hands, hold your feet and plead with you. Even after that, if you do not return to the right path, our hands will not tremble even an inch when it comes to grabbing your throat, Inshallah,” he said.
Mamunul said the long march was intended to send a message to the government.
“We have begun delivering that message through the long march. If you understand our message at the outset, undertake reforms. Otherwise, the same fate awaits you that awaited every autocrat who humiliated the nation,” he said.