Broader fascist system remains intact, only government has changed: Alternatives
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Alternatives on Saturday announced a nine-point set of demands, including constitutional and institutional reforms, justice for the July killings, energy sovereignty, labour and education reforms, and environmental protection.
Former Information Adviser to the interim government and Alternatives organiser Mahfuj Alam announced the demands at a press meeting titled “State of the Country.”
In a statement issued by its National Organising Committee, the organisation said despite the sacrifices of the July martyrs and the courageous struggle of people from all walks of life, the envisioned “New Bangladesh” had yet to be established.
“The broader fascist system remains largely intact, with only a change in government having taken place,” the statement said, warning that the system could return in a new form.
Alternatives called on people to continue speaking freely, organising and protesting, and to remain prepared to resist if necessary.
The organisation demanded a roadmap for constitutional and structural reforms, alongside economic measures to reduce inequality and restructure the economy.
It also called for justice for the July killings and the publication of a comprehensive list of victims of enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings and persecution between 2009 and 2024, with state recognition and justice ensured for them.
Among its other demands were ensuring human rights protection, impartial investigations and accountability; holding those involved in quick-rental projects and unequal power and energy agreements accountable; and reducing dependence on imports and foreign companies by expanding renewable energy.
Alternatives also demanded that the Healthcare Workers and Institutions Protection Ordinance–2025 and the Patient Protection and Redress Ordinance–2025 be enacted into law, while ensuring affordable prices of essential medicines and quality production.
The organisation called for implementing the Women’s Commission recommendations, preventing sexual and child abuse, and ensuring an environment for pluralistic cultural practices.
It further demanded the full implementation of the Labour Commission’s recommendations and the Labour Act 2026, reopening closed factories, increasing employment and ensuring the re-employment of retrenched workers.
Alternatives also called for forming an independent Education Commission to overhaul the education system and creating new employment opportunities for students and young people through skills development and support for entrepreneurs.
The nine-point charter also demanded the cancellation of development projects harmful to people, nature and the environment, implementation of climate-resilient projects in vulnerable areas, and rehabilitation of people displaced by floods, river erosion and other natural disasters.