‘IAB will not leave streets until govt steps down’
Staff Reporter :
Islami Andolon Bangladesh (IAB) has stated that they will not leave the streets until the downfall of the incumbent government as the ruling clique has been in power like an immovable stone for fifteen years.
Raising strong voices, they stated that free and fair elections under the current Election Commission is not possible and demanded resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) immediately as the CEC could not hold fair elections to Barishal and Khulna city corporations where the IAB’s mayoral candidate in Barishal came under attack.
“With one point demand, we will not leave the streets until this anti-state government falls. The government is in power for 15 years like an immovable stone. People’s one point demand is when the government will leave power,” IAB Presidium Member Principal Maulana Syed Mosaddak Billah Al-Madani said.
Addressing as the Chief Guest at a massive rally in front of the National Mosque Baitul Mokarram to protest the incident of attack on their Barishal mayoral candidate Faizul Karim during polling and the failure of the election commission, he demanded the resignation of the CEC.
“In the elections to Barishal and Khulna City Corporations, our party candidates bagged majority of votes, but the ruling Awami League has rigged the poll. The EC is talking falsehoods about the elections. Fair elections are not possible under the partisan CEC. The CEC is a mentally sick person who needs treatment in Pabna. CEC Habibul Awal has been tested and he must resign immediately. The CEC and the government have no right to remain in power,” he said.
The President of the Dhaka Metropolitan South Branch of the organization, Maulana Muhammad Imtiaz Alam presided over the rally. The Secretary-General Hafiz Maulana Yunus Ahmed, Presidium Member Professor Ashraf Ali Akon, Joint Secretary-General Maulana Ghazi Ataur Rahman, Youth Leader Maulana Nesar Uddin, Labour Leader Maulana Khalilur Rahman, North Secretary Maulana Ariful Islam, South Secretary Dr. Shahidul Islam, Student Leader Shariful Islam Riad and Maulana KM Shariyatullah, spoke.
The rally began with thousands of leaders and workers of Islami Andolon thronged the north gate of Baitul Mukarram mosque and with passage of time it spilled over to Bijjoynagar and Dainik Bangla intersection.
The agitated protesters chanted various slogans demanding answers for the attack on their Barishal candidate, “Give us answer, give us answer,” “One point, one demand, when will the government go,” “Resignation, resignation, we want the resignation of the EC,” “In the flood of blood, injustice will be washed away, why bloodshed in Barishal? “EC, give us an answer, give us an answer,” and so on. These slogans echoed along Rajpath (the main road) during the protest.
The leaders said, “There is no legitimacy of the government to hold power. The sooner this illegitimate government resigns, the more auspicious it will be for the nation. The country and its people will achieve freedom.”
Secretary-General Maulana Yunus Ahmed said, “The attack on Sayed Muhammad Faizul Karim has proved that the popularity of the government has come to a zero.” He also said that there is a popular saying, “Ten days for the thief, one day for the housemaster,” which is true in the current government’s case. Therefore, if the gang of thieves is not vigilant, they have to face dire consequences.
Professor Ashraf Ali Akan said the current CEC is a loyal cadre of Awami League.
“How can the current CEC say whether the senior Islamic scholar Mufti Faizul Karim has passed away or not? Did Habibul Awal expect the death of Faizul Karim? This servile, and opportunistic person like Habibul Awal cannot stay in power even for a moment,” he said.
Maulana Ghazi Ataur Rahman expressed sincere gratitude to all the parties those condemned the attacks of Awami extremists on Mufti Faizul Karim.
