We will not stop until people’s rights are secured: Shafiqur

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Leader of the Opposition Shafiqur Rahman has vowed to continue the movement until the rights of the people are secured, as an 11-party alliance began a peaceful long march from Dhaka to Chattogram on Saturday.

The programme, launched from Shapla Chattar in Motijheel around 8:30am, is aimed at pressing six-point demands, including an end to gas, electricity and water shortages, curbing price hikes of essential commodities, stopping extortion and corruption, improving law and order, and ending partisan control of the state and administration.

Addressing the rally, opposition leader and Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman said the march represented the interests of the country’s 18 crore people, who were suffering from persistent shortages of essential services despite having to pay their bills.

“We have taken up the fight to establish people's rights. We will return home only after securing those rights,” he said.

Opposition Chief Whip and National Citizens Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam warned that the six-point demands could turn into a single-point movement if the government obstructed the march.

Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar accused the government of failing to ease public hardship and called for the implementation of the referendum verdict, trial of the July killings and constitutional reforms.

The rally began with Quran recitation and featured speeches by senior leaders of the alliance, including Liberal Democratic Party President and former minister Col (retd) Oli Ahmed Bir Bikram.

The motorcade is scheduled to hold roadside rallies at Kanchpur in Narayanganj, Paduar Bazar in Cumilla, Mohipal in Feni and Mirsarai before reaching Chattogram. The programme is expected to conclude with a rally at the historic Laldighi Maidan.