Parwar warns of political feud

Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar on Friday warned that the government’s refusal to implement the referendum verdict could push the country towards political confrontation.

He made the remarks at a press conference at the party’s central office in Dhaka’s Moghbazar, announcing preparations for an 11-party alliance’s long march from Dhaka to Kushtia on Saturday.
“The government itself is pushing the country towards a confrontation in politics if it continues with its one-party, stubborn and authoritarian attitude,” he said.

Accusing the BNP-led government of disregarding the public mandate,

Porwar said BNP leaders, including the incumbent prime minister, had earlier urged people to vote ‘Yes’ in the referendum but were now questioning its constitutional validity.

He also questioned the government’s position, arguing that it had benefited from the electoral process under the referendum-related legal framework, with its leaders taking office as members of parliament and ministers, while refusing to recognise the referendum outcome.

Parwar urged the government to convene a session of the Constitution Reform Council alongside the next parliamentary session, scheduled for 9 November, to discuss the implementation of the referendum verdict.

He said the opposition was ready to cooperate with the process but criticised the government’s decision to form a special committee, calling it unilateral and tantamount to parliamentary autocracy.

Implementing the July Charter could help resolve political disagreements and restore public confidence, he added.

The alliance’s other demands include ensuring justice for those involved in the July killings, addressing shortages of essential utilities and agricultural inputs, controlling commodity prices, improving law and order, and ending partisan appointments, corruption and extortion.

The long march will begin at 7am on Saturday from the south gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in Dhaka and end at Kushtia District Stadium.

The nearly 425-kilometre journey will pass through 19 districts, with around 1,500 vehicles expected to join the convoy, Porwar said.

The convoy will travel via the Padma Bridge and Mawa, passing through Shariatpur, Madaripur, Faridpur, Gopalganj, Khulna, Jashore and Jhenaidah. Planned stops include Naodoba, Katakhali, Babri Chattar, Phultala, Chanchra and Chuadanga.

The march aims to mobilise public support for the alliance’s seven demands, he said.