July Oikya’s rally kicks off at Shaheed Minar

Staff Reporter:

July Oikya held a rally titled “Rally for Bangladesh” on the Dhaka University campus, beginning at the Central Shaheed Minar.

The event started at around 3:30pm on Saturday. According to July Oikya organiser Israfil Faraji, the programme aimed to raise slogans of “India Out” in protest against what he described as India’s dominance and interference in Bangladesh’s internal matters.

Faraji said the rally was organised to condemn India for providing shelter to those accused of killing martyr Sharif Osman Hadi and individuals allegedly involved in mass killings during the July Uprising of 2024. He also criticised India’s influence in international platforms, including the International Cricket Council (ICC).

He further claimed that India had directly intervened in Bangladesh’s last four parliamentary elections and is plotting against the country’s sovereignty ahead of the forthcoming 13th national election. The rally, he added, was also called in opposition to these issues.

Leaders and activists from various political parties and organisations, including the Jatiya Nagarik Party (NCP), joined the rally.

Addressing the gathering, NCP Joint Member Secretary Joynal Abedin Shishir said the Yunus government had failed to implement even basic reforms within the police force, which he said was reflected in the recent attacks on journalists and demonstrators.

He cautioned that if the authorities attempt to conduct a “managed election” similar to that of 2008 using the same police force, the people would resist strongly. “We have all your lists,” he said, urging those involved to think “ten times” before repeating what he termed “past misdeeds.”

NCP Chief Coordinator and Dhaka-8 MP candidate Nasiruddin Patwary was also present at the event.