Gathering on demand of AL could last a day or a month: Sarjis Alam

Leaders and activists of different political and student organisations have gathered to press home their demand of a clear roadmap for the trial of Bangladesh Awami League and banning of the party activities near Jamuna, the residence of the Chief Adviser of the interim government.

The gathering started after the Juma prayer today, Friday, with recitation from the holy Quran.

Various slogans are being chanted on the mike from the stage.

At a stage, National Citizen Party’s (NCP) principal organiser for the northern region, Sarjis Alam said, “Our fight has just started. This programme could last just a day or a month. We will have to stay on the streets as long as no announcement is made to ban the Awami League.”

Braving the summer heat, the devotees, and leaders and activists of various political parties and students organisations were thronging at the gathering spot.

It was announced from the stage that Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Presidium Member Ashraf Ali Akan and Islami Chhatra Shibir’s Dhaka University unit President SM Farhad joined the gathering.

The demonstrators were chanting slogans “one, two, three, four, Awami League no more”, “ban, ban, Awami League” and so on.

Leaders were giving speeches in between the slogans while some recited poems.

Earlier, some of the demonstrators were seen writing on the Paribagh-bound street various slogans, some were critical of the interim government.

Earlier on Thursday night, NCP’s Principal Coordinator for southern region, Hasnat Abdullah announced a sit-in in front of the Chief Adviser’s residence, Jamuna.

The programme started around 10:00 pm. Initially, the leaders and activists of Anti-discrimination Student Movement and NCP joined Hasnat.

Later, NCP Convener Nahid Islam, Member Secretary Akhter Hossen and other central leaders of the party went there with a procession.

Several leaders and activists of Hefazat-e-Islam also joined the demonstrators in front of Jamuna after 1:00 am; a few leaders and activists of AB Party also went there around 1:30 am while central leaders of Islami Chhatra Shibir joined the movement around 2:00 am.

The leaders and activists of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami joined the overnight demonstration in the morning.

Later, around 8:30 am, Hasnat Abdullah and NCP’s Principal Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary announced a big rally at the west side of Jamuna after the Juma prayer.

They also announced continuing the demonstration.

Jamaat-e-Islami’s Dhaka city south unit Secretary General Shafiqul Islam Masud and leaders and activists of several other Islamist parties were with Hasnat Abdullah and Nasiruddin Patwary during the announcement.

Following the announcement, the construction work of the stage started. The stage was set on five pick-up vans.