7 parties to launch joint protests over common demands

Four parties, including Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, are set to take to the streets with several common demands, including holding the national election in February on the basis of the July Charter.

These parties will initially hold a three-day protest programme starting Thursday. After these, they will announce fresh programmes.

Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Andolan, and Khelafat Majlis announced their protest programmes at separate press conferences yesterday, Monday. Earlier, on Sunday, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis had announced its programme.

Meanwhile, it was learned last night that three more parties will join these four in the joint programme. These are Nizam-e-Islam party, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan, and Jatiya Ganatantrik Party (JAGPA).

Mujibur Rahman Hamidi, Nayeb-e-Ameer of Khelafat Andolan, and Rashed Pradhan, Vice-President of JAGPA, told Prothom Alo that they will announce their programmes today, Tuesday, at separate press conferences.

According to sources, the goal of these programmes is to pressure the government into implementing the July Charter and ensuring a "level playing field" in the upcoming election. Jamaat has reportedly planned to extend the programme down to the union level.

Earlier, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) staged various programmes demanding an announcement of the election schedule.

Now, amid disagreements among major political parties, including BNP, over the implementation of the July Charter, Jamaat and Islami Andolan, along with two other Islamic  parties, have for the first time announced a joint programme on common demands.

Analysts consider this combined programme as a signal that election-centric politics is moving onto the streets, while others view it as a hint of compromise or understanding ahead of the parliamentary election.

Discussions with leaders of the four parties revealed that eight parties had initially agreed to start the simultaneous movement on four to five common demands, including holding the election on the basis of the July Charter. Several meetings among top leaders were held to this end.

However, after the media reported on this, Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party issued a statement, National Citizen Party (NCP) leaders made Facebook posts, and the General Secretary of Gono Odhikar Parishad spoke by phone, expressing dissent on the joint programme.

At a press conference yesterday, Khelafat Majlis Secretary General Ahmad Abdul Kader warned that if the government did not take clear steps to provide a legal foundation for the July National Charter, a larger programme would follow.

The demands on which Jamaat and the three other parties announced programmes are largely identical.

Even though some presented five points and others six, the main issues were the same: elections based on the July Charter; introduction of a proportional representation (PR) system in both houses of parliament (or in the upper house, as some demand); ensuring a level playing field for all parties and candidates to guarantee free, fair, and credible elections; visible trials of all oppression, mass killings, and corruption by the past fascist government; and banning the activities of the Jatiya Party (JaPa) and the 14-party alliance as collaborators of autocracy.

Based on these demands, the four parties announced protest marches on 18 September in Dhaka, on 19 September in divisional cities, and on 26 September in all districts and upazilas nationwide.

Although the leaders are not saying it publicly, but these are effectively joint programmes of the four parties.

Announcing a five-point programme, Jamaat’s Nayeb-e-Ameer Syed Abdullah Muhammad Taher called on the nation to unite to realise the people’s demands through these programmes.

On the other hand, although NCP, AB Party, and Gono Odhikar Parishad are not participating in the joint movement or alliance-based programmes, their positions on constitutional and structural reforms are close.

Sources said one party is staying away for strategic reasons; another is divided between two main leaders, one favouring compromise with BNP and the other reluctant due to situation in his area. In another party, one faction leans toward an understanding with Jamaat while another opposes, which raise the risk of split in the party.

At Sunday’s meeting of the law and order core committee chaired by Home Affairs Adviser Lt. Gen. (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, the issue of several parties’ joint programmes was discussed.

Concerns were raised that these programmes could create political instability and deadlock.

Sources said the head of an intelligence agency mentioned at the meeting that unless compromises are reached on the July Charter and related issues, political paralysis could follow, possibly leading to blockades.

Though one party maintains it is not part of the movement now, it may join later, potentially leaving a major political party isolated.

At a press conference announcing the program, Charmonai Pir Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim said, “If the government does not announce elections under the PR system, we will take to the streets with like-minded parties. The July uprising did not happen merely for elections and a hand over of power. Its aim was fundamental reforms to permanently save the country from fascism and autocracy. But by prioritising elections over reforms and justice, the nation is being led into an ominous arrangement.”

The Charmonai Pir added that the movement would include all stakeholders of the 2024 mass uprising and would aim to pressure the government.

According to sources, Jamaat and other party leaders believe the interim government has tilted toward BNP, especially after a bilateral meeting in London between the Chief Adviser and BNP’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman.

They allege the government has since been prioritising BNP’s demands. In this situation, they argue, unless the July Charter is legally institutionalised and elections are held accordingly, they will not be free and fair.

Based on this reality, several parties have reached a preliminary consensus.

Charmonai Pir Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim is also working to bring Islamic votes under one umbrella in the next election. Jamaat Ameer Shafiqur Rahman has expressed support for this initiative.

Ahmad Abdul Kader’s Khelafat Majlis and Maulana Mamunul Haque’s Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis are also believed to be part of it. This initiative will formally begin Thursday with the joint programme.