Three Islamic parties — Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, and Khelafat Majlis — on Monday separately announced parallel programmes to press five common demands ahead of the forthcoming national elections.
Already the Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis on Sunday announced its similar countrywide agitation programmes in support of similar demands.Â
The demands included the implementation of the July Charter before the national elections and holding the next polls in February based on the charter, introducing Proportional Representation in parliament, ensuring a level-playing field for all political parties, delivering visible progress in prosecuting those responsible for the July 2024 killings, and banning activities of the Jatiya Party and the 14-party alliance members.
At separate press conferences on Monday, the parties declared countrywide rallies and protest processions in support of their demands.
The programmes will begin with demonstrations in Dhaka on September 18, followed by rallies in all divisional cities on 19 September, and processions in districts and upazilas on 26 September.
The Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis had already announced similar programmes on Sunday pressing the same five-point demands.
The Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami on Monday held a press conference at the Al-Falah Milanayaton at Moghbazar to announce the programmes pressing the five-point demand.
Jamaat nayeb-e-amir Syed Abdullah Muhammad Taher presented a written statement and answered questions.
Jamaat leaders present included secretary general Mia Golam Parwar, assistant secretary general AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad, and Abdul Halim.
Taher said that the interim government initiated reforms to ensure justice for mass killings, restructure the state, and prevent authoritarianism.
Out of the 166 reform proposals discussed with political parties, 84 were adopted, though some key decisions stalled as a few parties expressed differing views.
Taher urged the implementation of the July Charter, prosecution for past mass atrocities and measures to ensure free, fair and credible polls, warning that, if authorities fail to act accordingly, a mass movement would be the only recourse to secure the demands.
At a separate press conference at the party office at Paltan, Islami Andolan Bangladesh amir Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim alleged that certain political groups were portraying the July uprising as merely a struggle for power, whereas it had been a movement to end authoritarianism and restore democratic accountability.
He expressed regret that the July Charter had not been finalised or legally ratified, despite more than 14 months have passed by since the uprising and the expiry of the National Consensus Commission’s extended tenure.
Rezaul Karim said that powerful quarters had obstructed consensus on key reforms, leaving the core objective of dismantling fascist structures largely unfulfilled.
Islami Andolan leader stressed that in the absence of legally binding measures, such as a constitutional order or a public referendum, the July Charter could end up as just another political document set aside after elections.
The Khelafat Majlis on Monday announced programmes in support of a six-point demand, including giving the July National Charter a legal basis, at a press briefing at its central office at Paltan.
The announcement was delivered by party secretary general Ahmad Abdul Quader in the presence of nayeb-e-amir Maulana Ahmad Ali Qasemi, senior joint secretaries general Jahangir Hossain, Muhammad Muntasir Ali, and Abdul Jalil.
Five of the six demands were said to be in line with those of other Islamic parties, while the additional point sought the withdrawal of the government’s decision to appoint music teachers in primary schools and instead recruit religious teachers.
Quader said that the interim government had begun reforms after the July uprising in line with public expectations, and that the National Consensus Commission had finalised the July Charter 2025 following discussions with political parties.
He, however, observed that its implementation remained uncertain as some groups preferred to leave major decisions to the next elected government.
Although the four Islamic parties formally announced the similar movement on identical demands, two other parties — Bangladesh Nezame Islam Party and Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan — also agreed to join the simultaneous movement on the five-point demands, organisers said.
Of the six parties, five, excluding the Jamaat, had formed a liaison committee led by the Islami Andolan a few months ago and were working towards forming an alliance of Islamic parties for the forthcoming national elections.
The liaison committee of the five Islamic parties on Monday held a meeting at the central office of the Islami Andolan Bangladesh in support of the five-point demand.
The meeting decided to consult with prominent political, social, and religious leaders to build nationwide public support for the legal ratification of the July Charter and holding the national elections based on it.
Attending the meeting were Khelafat Majlis secretary general Ahmad Abdul Quader, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis secretary general Jalaluddin Ahmad, Nezame Islam Party co-chair Abdul Majed Athari and secretary general Musa Bin Izhar, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan nayeb-e-amir Mujibur Rahman Hamidi and secretary general Yusuf Sadek Haqqani, along with Islami Andolan Bangladesh secretary general Yunus Ahmad, and presidium member Ashraf Ali Akon.