Police obstructed a march organized by eight like-minded parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami, demanding implementation of the July Charter and a referendum in November along with four other demands. The march, which began from Paltan around noon on Thursday (November 6), was stopped by police near the Matsya Bhaban area.
Following the obstruction, a delegation representing the eight parties set out for Jamuna to submit a memorandum to the Chief Adviser.
Earlier, leaders and activists from Jamaat and the allied parties gathered at Shapla Chattar and began their march toward Paltan. At a brief rally, Jamaat-e-Islami’s Nayeb-e-Ameer Dr. Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher said, “We are ready to sacrifice our lives if necessary, but we will not let the spirit of July be trampled. If ghee doesn’t come out straight, we will bend the finger—because we must have the ghee.”
The five-point demands of the eight Islamic parties are as follows:
- Issue an order to implement the July National Charter and hold a referendum on it within November.
- Introduce the Proportional Representation (PR) system in both houses in the upcoming national election.
- Ensure a level playing field for all to hold a free, fair, and credible election.
- Make visible trials for the oppression, genocide, and corruption committed by the previous authoritarian government.
- Ban the activities of the autocratic ally Jatiya Party and the 14-party coalition.
