Jamaat declares overlapping 10-point demand; announces mass rally on 24 Dec

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has announced a 10-point demand largely overlapping with the BNP's, and declared a mass rally on December 24 just after the BNP's announcement.

Dr Shafiqur Rahman, Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami made the announcement on Saturday to build a nationwide simultaneous mass movement based on the 10-point demand to restore democracy in the country and bring back the people's rights, said a media statement.

Highlighting the present situation in the country Mr Rahman said, "Bangladesh is in a terrible situation now. The country is constantly rushing towards new crises. There is a disastrous situation in the country's politics, economy, education-culture and social arena, he added.

People are in dire conditions due to the shortage of electricity, water and gas in the country.

"Since this government came to power, various financial scandals have pushed the country towards financial crisis. About Tk8 lakh crore have been smuggled out of the country. Thousands of crores of Taka have been embezzled in the name of various projects and mega projects, Jamaat Ameer mentioned."

The 10-point demands include- the resignation of the government and the dissolution of parliament; the formation of a neutral and interim caretaker government in line with sections Kha, Ga and Gha of article 58 of the constitution that were included in 1996; the formation of a fresh neutral and acceptable election commission by the caretaker government which will create a level-playing field for all parties and annul the use of EVMs and party symbols in local government elections; cancellation of convictions of all the opposition leaders and activists, including BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, its Nayebe Ameer Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, journalists, human rights activists and religious scholars and the release of all political prisoners;Jamaat office should be opened immediately, and freedom of expression should be ensured; All the black laws, including the Digital Security Act, 2018, Anti-Terrorism Act, 2009, and the Special Powers Act, 1974 must be revoked; The anti-people decision to increase the price of public services including electricity, energy, gas, and water needs to be cancelled; A commission must be formed to identify the corruption in the banking and energy sectors and share market in the last 15 years; All the victims of enforced disappearances in the last 15 years should be rescued and those responsible for extrajudicial killings must be identified and punished; Law enforcement, administration and judiciary function independently without government interference should be ensured and National unity should be built by stopping border killings and protecting the independence and sovereignty of the country.

Earlier in the  day, BNP also announced a 10-point demand, including the demand for the resignation of the ruling government and the dissolution of the current national parliament.

BNP Standing Committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain placed the demands at the rally eventually held in Golapbagh field, and declared a 'simultaneous anti-government movement' on December 24.

With the presence of thousands of leaders and activists of the party and its associate bodies,  BNP's divisional rally in Dhaka began on Saturday morning dispelling all speculations and braving numerous obstacles.