Jamaat begins protest rally with five demands

Jamaat-e-Islami’s pre-announced protest rally has begun, demanding five key points, including holding the next national election in February based on the updated voter list.

The rally started today, Thursday, at 5:00pm at the south gate of Baitul Mukarram Mosque in the capital.

The event is being presided over by Nurul Islam Bulbul, Ameer of Jamaat’s Dhaka South city unit. Senior party leaders, including Nayeb-e-Ameer Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher and Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar, along with other central and Dhaka city committee leaders, will address the gathering.

The programme is being organised jointly by Jamaat’s Dhaka North and South city units.

According to Jamaat sources, a protest march will be held following the rally. The procession is expected to start from the south gate of Baitul Mukarram Mosque and move through Purana Paltan intersection, the National Press Club, and Matsya Bhaban, possibly ending at Shahbagh.

Earlier, on 15 September, Jamaat-e-Islami announced a three-day programme based on five key demands through a press conference held at the Al-Falah Auditorium, adjacent to the party’s central office.

Jamaat's five demands are: To hold the next national election in February based on the updated voter list (July Electoral Roll); To introduce the Proportional Representation (PR) system in both houses of Parliament in the upcoming national election; To ensure a level playing field for all participants to guarantee free, fair, and credible elections; To ensure visible justice for all acts of repression, mass killings, and corruption committed by the fascist government; To ban the activities of the Jatiya Party and the 14-Party Alliance for their collaboration with the authoritarian regime.

As part of this movement, Jamaat-e-Islami will hold protest marches in all divisional cities tomorrow, 19 September, and in all districts or sub-districts on 26 September.