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The Islami Andolan Bangladesh holds a ‘grand rally’, demanding state reforms, trial of ‘fascist’ Awami League leaders and proportional representation system, at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka on Saturday. | Sony Ramani

The Islami Andolan Bangladesh on Saturday demanded that the next general election be held under the proportionate representation system after required reforms and trials of those involved in the fascist regime of Sheikh Hasina and their collaborators.

The party leaders made the demands at a grand rally at Suhrawardy Udyan where Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, National Citizen Party, a group of Islamist political party leaders extended their support to the demands.


Addressing the rally as its  chair, Islami Andolan amir Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim said that the next general election must be held under the proportionate representation system after holding required reforms to ensure a free, fair and credible general election and holding trials of the leaders and activists of the fascist Awami League, activities of which have recently been banned until trials of those responsible for atrocities during the July uprising that led to the fall of Sheikh Hasina on August 5, 2024.

‘We do not want such a general election that would not ensure a corruption-free society and cannot establish democratic rights of the people of the country,’ Syed Rezaul Karim said.

Supporting the stand of the Islami Andolan Bangladesh, secretary general of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Mia Golam Parwar said that people would not accept any alections without proportionate representation system.

Golam Parwar said that the interim government must hold trials of the fascists before the general elections and ensure a level playing field for all political parties as the government had already announced that the next polls would be held in mid-February next year.

Member secretary of National Citizen Party Akhter Hussain said that the new Bangladesh would be ruled in a new system and constituent assembly elections must be held.

For one or two political parties, introducing a proportionate representation system in upper chamber of the parliament cannot be stopped, Akhter said.

Gono Odhikar Parishad president Nurul Haque Nur demanded holding local government elections before the next general election.

Senior nayeb-e-amir Syed Muhammad Fayezul Karim said that they did not hold such a national election to bring a political party to power. 

Secretary general of Khelafat Majlish Mohammad Abdul Kader said that they wanted to establish Islamic rule in the country.

Joint secretary general of IAB Kazi Ataur Rahman read out the 16-point charter of demands of the rally including implementations of the spirit of the student-led mass uprising, holding national elations under the PR system, ensuring a level playing field before the national elections, holding local government elections before national election and ensuring holding trials of the fascists.

IAB secretary general Yunus Ahmed, AB Party chairman Mohammad Mojibur Rahman Monju, Rangpur region organiser of NCP Sajis Alam, secretary general of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish Jamal Uddin Ahmed and others also spoke at the rally.  

Hundreds of IAB leaders and activists on Saturday gathered at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka to attend their pre-announced grand rally to press home their three-point demand including reforms, trial and proportionate representation system elections.

The first section of the grand rally formally began by reciting from the Quran at about 10:00am.

From the grand rally venue, police took five people in custody and recovered locally made sharp weapons over allegation of mugging, Shahbagh police officer-in-charge Khalid Mansur told ¶¶Òõ¾«Æ·.

‘Process for taking legal action against the five is underway,’ said Khalid.

Several hundred IAB leaders and activists from Dhaka and its neighbouring districts began gathering at the rally venue from early Saturday.

The crowd increased gradually as huge numbers of the party leaders and activists in groups joined the rally with separate processions from the morning by buses, trucks, micro buses and pickup trucks.

Vehicular movement on both sides of Shahbagh to Matsha Bhaban road halted from 3:00pm to 5:30pm leading to long tailbacks in nearby areas causing sufferings to the commuters.