Jamaat holds first rally after a decade

Holding its first rally in the capital after a decade, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami on Saturday demanded holding the next national election under a non-party caretaker government.

The Jamaat leaders also urged the party followers to get ready for taking to the streets to force the government to accept the demand.

The party’s Dhaka South city unit arranged the rally at the Institution of the Engineers, Bangladesh protesting the price hikes in daily essentials and demanding the restoration of the caretaker government and the release of the party’s arrested leaders and activists.

This is the first time since 2013 that Jamaat was able to hold a political programme in the capital as the Dhaka Metropolitan Police gave the party permission for the programme on some conditions.

Huge number of leaders of activists of Jamaat and Chhatra Shibir joined the rally held with the party’s Dhaka south unit president Nurul Islam Bulbul presiding.

A written statement of acting Jamaat amir Mujibur Rahman was read out.

In the statement, Mujibur Rahman said the country’s people will not accept the next election under the partisan government. “So take steps for holding the election under a caretaker government demonstrating your good sense. There is no alternative to it.”