At Kushtia long march finale, Shafiqur Rahman warns: reject the seven points and a one-point demand becomes inevitable

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Amir and Leader of the Opposition in the National Parliament Dr Shafiqur Rahman has said that if the seven-point demands are accepted, there will be no need for a one-point demand — but if they are not, a one-point demand will become inevitable. He made the remarks as chief guest at the closing rally of the Dhaka-Kushtia long march at Shaheed Abrar Fahad Stadium in Kushtia at 11:30pm on Saturday night (31 October).

The long march was held to press seven-point demands, including implementation of the people's verdict in the referendum. Dr Shafiqur Rahman said they would be forced to call a one-point movement for the people's interests and to realise their rights. "The country belongs to all of us. Everyone must fight to realise their rights," he said.

Criticising the current government, he said: "The current government has cheated you. We have come here to protest that and to join you in the struggle to realise your rights. Seventy percent of you wanted change in Bangladesh. You wanted to bury the dirty stream of politics underground and build a new Bangladesh."

Warning the government, the Jamaat Amir said: "We want to remind them that whenever the people's verdict has been insulted in history, the group concerned has had to suffer a dire fate. Accept our demands while there is still goodwill. Not a single one of the demands is a party demand. All of them are demands to establish the people's rights."

He added: "We have appeared before you with your demands. We have no party demand, nor does the 11-party alliance. The seven demands for which we have taken to the field are the demands of the common people of Bangladesh."

Remembering the martyrs of the July mass uprising, he said more than 1,400 children had given their fresh blood to remove fascism and gift a new Bangladesh. "We all speak of those martyrs. But it is a matter of regret that our government does not honour the martyrs," he said. In his words, the referendum is the very document of the martyrs' dream of building a discrimination-free, humane and justice-based Bangladesh.

The Jamaat Amir said that in the struggle to realise the people's rights, they would not bow to injustice even at the cost of their lives. "We will return home only after realising these demands of the people," he said.

At the rally, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis Amir Mamunul Haque asked why they show such eagerness to take the oath as members of parliament, yet so much reluctance to take the oath as members of the Constitution Reform Council. The reason is clear, he said: taking the oath as an MP allows one to form a government and become a minister, and as a minister one can create syndicates and loot the people's wealth.

Mamunul Haque added that by forming syndicates, the markets for essentials including oil, gas, electricity and fertiliser can be monopolised and a country crippled. That, he alleged, is why there is a plot to take the whole country back to a reign of extortion, snatching, hooliganism, robbery, murder and enforced disappearance.

Also addressing the closing rally in Kushtia were Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Mohammad Golam Parwar, Rashed Khan Pradhan, Kushtia-2 MP and district Jamaat Naib-e-Amir Abdul Gafur, Kushtia-3 MP Mufti Amir Hamza, Kushtia-4 MP Afzal Hossain, Kushtia district Jamaat Amir Khandaker AKM Ali Mohsin, Secretary Enamul Haque and others.

Earlier on Saturday morning, the long march began with an inaugural rally at the south gate of the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in the capital. After the speeches at the inaugural rally, the long march procession set off for Kushtia.

On the way, roadside rallies were held at Nawdoba in Jazira of Shariatpur, Katakhalir Mor in Fakirhat of Bagerhat, Babri Chattar in Khulna city, Swadhinata Chattar at Phultala bus stand, Murlir Mor in Jashore and in front of the Chuadanga bus terminal in Jhenaidah. Central leaders of the 11-party unity addressed these rallies. The procession later reached Kushtia, where the closing rally was held at Shaheed Abrar Fahad Stadium.