11 parties’ 8 demands are for people, could turn into 1 for their sake: Shafiqur

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Opposition Leader Shafiqur Rahman on Saturday said that the eight demands of the Opposition Alliance are driven by people’s need rather than political goals, and could even turn into a single demand of government ouster for people’s sake.

The Opposition Leader issued the warning against the BNP government while speaking at a rally held in Bogura’s Matidhali Biman intersection as part of the 11-part bloc’s Rangpur Long March programme.

This was the second iteration of the opposition’s countrywide long march programmes, with the third and final one planned to be held from across the country towards Dhaka.

Shafiqur said he was ready to even embrace martyrdom in the struggle to enact the people’s demands, which he said were reflected in the Opposition’s eight-point demand.

He said that the Opposition was now facing threats, but pledged to continue the movement.

The eight-point demand includes implementation of the July Charter and the February referendum verdict that backed the charter, stopping partisan appointments to state roles, putting an end to corruption-extortion-illegal takeovers, resolution of the energy crisis, and improvements in the security landscape.

Shafiqur also warned that the eight demands have risen from the initial set of six demands for the sake of the people, and could drop to one demand of “government ouster” – again for people’s interests.

He claimed that some people in the Bogura rally were already pointing with one finger, signaling they were ready to demand government ouster.

He urged the general people and political activists to take their final preparations for launching the next march towards the capital, Dhaka.

People have taken to the streets, and therefore, the opposition’s movement, with the Almighty’s help, will succeed, he added.