‘People to oust you too if you embrace fascism’

Jamaat chief demands implementation of referendum-backed reforms as alliance leaders threaten fresh movement Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Leader of the Opposition Shafiqur Rahman on Saturday warned the government that it could face the same fate as the ousted Sheikh Hasina administration if it pursued authoritarian rule.

“If you establish fascism, the people will drive you out as well. They will not spare you,” Shafiqur said while addressing a Sylhet divisional rally organised by the Jamaat-led alliance.

He claimed that nearly 70 percent of voters had supported political reforms through the referendum and said the alliance would continue its movement until the verdict was implemented.

“We will not allow the referendum verdict to be dishonoured. We do not want any form of fascism to return to Bangladesh,” he said.

Shafiqur accused the government of politicising state institutions and making partisan appointments, alleging that those who once described themselves as victims of authoritarianism were now following the same path.

“We will not accept this under any circumstances,” he added.
The rally was chaired by Liberal Democratic Party Chairman and former minister Col (retd) Oli Ahmad Bir Bikram.

Shafiqur urged the government to accept the alliance’s demands peacefully, saying the people had already made sacrifices for political change.

“We will not betray the martyrs, the July fighters or the country’s 180 million people,” he said.
He also asked supporters to prepare for a planned rally in Dhaka, where the alliance’s next programme would be announced.

Highlighting regional demands, Shafiqur called for Osmani International Airport to be made fully operational, the speedy completion of the Sylhet-Dhaka highway, the conversion of Sylhet Engineering College into a university and the launch of Sylhet Medical University.

“If we come to power, we will fulfil these demands,” he said.
Speaking as a special guest, National Citizen Party Convener and Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam accused the government of ignoring the public mandate and failing to implement its promised reforms.

He claimed that the student-led July uprising had inspired similar movements in other countries and warned that the government would face political consequences if it disregarded the referendum verdict.
Nahid also alleged that the government had failed to implement its 31-point programme, weakening Bangladesh’s ability to secure international economic support.

Khelafat Majlish Ameer Maulana Mamunul Haque said the alliance had united not merely to contest elections or gain power, but to implement the July Charter and fulfil the objectives of the July uprising.
“We will continue our united movement until those goals are achieved,” he said.

Jagpa Vice-President Rashid Pradhan warned that a one-point movement to topple the government could begin if the July Charter was not implemented following the alliance’s Dhaka rally.

AB Party Secretary General Barrister Fuad said the Awami League would not return to power, arguing that the July uprising had permanently changed Bangladesh’s political landscape.

Leaders of Jamaat, LDP, NCP, Khelafat Majlish, AB Party, Jagpa and several other allied parties addressed the rally.