11-party alliance announces protest rally at Baitul Mukarram on 4 April
The rally will be held at 5pm at the north gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque on 4 April, Jamaat said in a press release today
The 11-party alliance, led by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, has announced a protest rally and procession in Dhaka, demanding constitutional reforms and implementation of the referendum mandate.
The rally will be held at 5pm at the north gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque on 4 April, Jamaat said in a press release today (2 April).
The announcement came following an emergency meeting held at 11am today in the capital's Gulshan. Shafiqur Rahman, ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami and leader of the opposition, chaired the meeting.
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The 11-party alliance demanded immediate steps to implement the referendum mandate and to form a constitutional reform council. It warned that failure to meet these demands would lead to street protests.
The alliance also announced a protest procession and plans to carry out public outreach campaigns, distribute leaflets and mobilise public opinion.
A high-level meeting of the alliance is scheduled for 7 April, where further action plans and programmes are expected to be announced.
Speaking at a press briefing after today's meeting, coordinator of 11-party alliance AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad alleged that the government is attempting to amend the constitution while ignoring the public mandate expressed through a referendum.
He described the move as disrespectful to the people and contrary to the spirit of the July uprising.
He said that although constitutional amendments fall within the jurisdiction of parliament, no amendment can alter the fundamental structure of the constitution.
For such changes, the only legitimate path is to seek direct public consent through a referendum and to form a constitutional reform council, he added.
Azad further alleged that previous constitutional amendments had paved the way for authoritarian rule and warned that the current government is moving in the same direction.
He also stressed that reforms should be carried out in line with the referendum verdict rather than through unilateral amendments.
The alliance also criticised the government over the ongoing energy crisis, the deterioration of law and order and the decision to introduce partial online classes in educational institutions, claiming it could hinder students' intellectual development.
