Jamaat, 6 other Islamic parties to stage coordinated protests in Dhaka in afternoon

Seven Islamic political parties, including Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, are set to stage simultaneous protest marches in Dhaka today, Thursday, pressing a common set of demands including holding the national election in February under the July Charter.

Ahead of the marches, the parties will hold brief rallies at several key spots in the capital, including Baitul Mukarram National Mosque and the National Press Club, from the afternoon into the evening.

The seven parties — Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, Khelafat Majlis, Nizam-e-Islam Party, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon, and Jatiya Ganatantrik Party (JAGPA) — have announced three days of programmes.

The first day’s programme will be held in Dhaka today, in divisional cities on Friday, and across all districts and upazilas on 26 September.

Although some have issued five-point, six-point or seven-point demands, their central demands are largely identical.

Those are: full implementation of the July Charter and holding the national election under it; introducing proportional representation (PR) system in parliament (with some calling for both chambers while some only for the upper house); ensuring a genuine level playing field for free and credible polls; visible trials of the repression, killings and corruption of the past fascist government; and banning the activities of the Jatiya Party (JaPa) and the 14-party alliance.

Jamaat-e-Islami will start its programme with a rally in front of the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque’s south gate, followed by a march at 4:30 pm.

Party Nayeb-e-Ameer Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, secretary general Mia Golam Porwar, and other senior leaders will address the gathering, which will be organised by the party’s Dhaka north and south units.

The march is expected to move through Paltan, the National Press Club and Matsya Bhaban, ending near Shahbagh, Jamaat’s Dhaka south unit secretary Shafiqul Islam Masud told Prothom Alo.

Islami Andolan Bangladesh will hold a rally in the northern courtyard of Baitul Mukarram Mosque after the Zuhr prayers, led by the party’s Senior Nayeb-e-Ameer Syed Muhammad Faizul Karim.

Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Dhaka north and south units jointly will organise the programme.

Following the Asr prayers, the Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, led by Maulana Mamunul Haque, will march from the mosque’s north gate.

In a statement on Wednesday, party secretary general Maulana Jalaluddin Ahmad urged spontaneous public participation.

Besides, Khelafat Majlish (the faction led by Ahmad Abdul Quader) will separately hold a rally in front of the National Press Club at 3:00 pm.

Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon will join at the same venue and time, while Nizam-e-Islam Party will hold its programme there at 4:00 pm.

Meanwhile, JAGPA will stage its protest march at 4:30 pm from in front of the Bijoynagar water tank.

With all seven parties mobilising in central Dhaka at the same time, police and city residents anticipate severe traffic congestion and sufferings.

Organisers said the decision to hold the rallies in the afternoon, rather than earlier in the day, was taken to avoid disrupting the BCS (Bangladesh Civil Service) examinations, scheduled for today and tomorrow, Friday, morning.