The 11-party alliance will hold a long march from Dhaka to Kushtia via Khulna, Jashore and Jhenaidah on 31 October to press for seven demands.
Mia Golam Porwar, secretary general of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, announced the programme at a press conference at Jashore Press Club today (11 October).
The programme will begin with a rally at the south gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in Dhaka at 7am, followed by the departure of a convoy of around 1,000 vehicles at 8am, Porwar said.
The convoy will travel via the Mawa road and Padma Bridge, passing through Shariatpur, Madaripur, Bhanga in Faridpur, Gopalganj, Fakirhat in Bagerhat and Rupsha Bridge before reaching Khulna. It will then proceed through Jashore and Jhenaidah before concluding with a rally at Kushtia Zila School ground.
The journey is expected to take around 12 hours. Media workers, doctors, artists and members of various professional organisations are also expected to join the programme, he added.
The alliance’s seven demands include implementation of the public verdict in the referendum, trial for the July massacre, resolution of shortages of electricity, fuel, gas and fertiliser, control of rising prices of essential commodities, improvement in law and order, and an end to narrow partisan control at all levels of the administration.
Porwar said two previous long marches organised by the alliance had been peaceful and expressed hope that the upcoming programme would also remain peaceful.
He apologised in advance to residents, businesses and commuters for possible temporary disruptions to traffic and movement along the route.
“We are monitoring the situation and announcing programmes. We hope the government will come to its senses through the long march,” he said, urging the government to change course.
Source: https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/politics/11-party-alliance-hold-dhaka-khulna-kushtia-long-march-31-october-1569541
