If referendum verdict is mocked, people will return to streets: Mamunul

Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis Ameer Maulana Mamunul Haque today (5 September) warned that people will return to the streets and launch another movement if the government fails to implement the verdict of the referendum.

"Seventy percent of the people voted in favour of the referendum. If that verdict is mocked, the people of Bangladesh will take to the streets again. There will be another revolution, and democracy will prevail again," he said at the concluding rally of the 11-party alliance's Dhaka-Chattogram long march at the historic Laldighi Maidan in Chattogram.

Mamunul said students and people took to the streets during the 2024 July Uprising with the dream of building a fascism-free and discrimination-free Bangladesh.

"More than 1,500 people gave their lives in pursuit of that dream, while hundreds are still living with disabilities and blindness. Our goal is not personal interest, nor is it to serve any party interest. Our goal is to build a fascism-free and discrimination-free Bangladesh," he said.

On the July Charter, he said 33 political parties had held nine months of discussions at the National Consensus Commission before the charter was drawn up.

The parties had also agreed to form a constitutional reform council to implement the charter, he said, alleging that the BNP had backtracked from that position after coming to power.

"After coming to power, BNP has betrayed Bangladesh, betrayed history, betrayed thousands of mothers and betrayed the blood of the martyrs," he said.

Mamunul said the referendum was not a "story to fool children" but a commitment made to the people by political parties.

"Thirty-two political parties, including BNP, made that commitment to the nation. But if they now say, after coming to power, that they did not sincerely support the referendum or the consensus on reforms, that is unfortunate," he added.

Addressing the ruling BNP, he said, "You may betray, but we cannot. You may be traitors, but we cannot betray."

Mamunul also said there was no scope for viewing the long march as a programme to bring down the government.

"We held the long march not to bring down the government, but to wake it up. It was a warning to the government," he added.

He warned that the movement for constitutional reform could turn into an anti-government movement if steps are not taken to implement the referendum verdict.

"Demanding implementation of the referendum verdict is not something that can be brushed aside by giving a small child a lollipop. If the verdict is not implemented, our movement for constitutional reform could turn into an anti-government movement," he said.

Referring to past governments, Mamunul said no government had been able to remain in power by ignoring the people's mandate.

He also said the 1971 Liberation War was a consequence of the people's verdict being ignored after the 1970 election.