Porwar says long march is not aimed at ousting govt

Mia Golam Porwar, convener of the long march implementation committee of the Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party alliance, today said they are not waging any movement to oust the government.

Porwar, secretary general of Jamaat, made the remarks at a press conference at his party’s central office in Dhaka's Moghbazar today, a day before the Dhaka-Chattogram long march.

The opposition was playing a constitutional, constructive and responsible role both inside and outside parliament, he said, adding that the long march would also be peaceful.

“We are not launching any movement to oust the government,” the Jamaat leader said.

The 11-party alliance will hold a long march from Dhaka to Chattogram tomorrow, September 5, pressing demands that include implementation of the referendum verdict, trial over the July mass killings, and solutions to the electricity, fuel, gas and fertiliser crises.

Jamaat Ameer and Leader of the Opposition Shafiqur Rahman and other top leaders of the alliance will take part in the march.

At today’s press conference, Porwar urged the government not to obstruct the long march.

“We urge the government to retain public confidence by extending all administrative cooperation to ensure the success of the opposition’s largest peaceful political programme,” he said.

On August 6, the 11-party alliance announced long marches to four divisions and a grand rally in Dhaka from Muktangan. Following tomorrow’s programme, three more long marches towards Rangpur, Khulna and Sylhet are scheduled for September-October while the grand rally in Dhaka will be held on November 14.

Programme details

An inaugural rally will be held at Motijheel’s Shapla Chattar between 7:00am and 8:00am tomorrow. Roadside rallies will then be held at Chittagong Road in Narayanganj, Paduar Bazar and Chauddagram in Cumilla, Mahipal in Feni, and Mirsharai in Chattogram. The final rally will be held at Laldighi Maidan in Chattogram.

According to the alliance, around 1,500 vehicles would take part in the long march. The roadside rallies will be kept brief to minimise public suffering.

NCP Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary said they did not anticipate any sabotage or disorder surrounding the long march so far. However, he said the ruling party would have to take responsibility if any attack or disorder occurred.

'Govt focused on work, not photo ops': Water resources minister

Meanwhile, Water Resources Minister Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anee criticised the opposition’s programme, saying it was not possible to complete all development work in six months.

Speaking after inaugurating a cleanliness drive at Rahmatkhali canal in Lakshmipur municipality today, he said, “Have 20,000 kilometres of canals been re-excavated after six months in office? Is there any scope to say that all the work has been completed? The opposition must understand this.”

Anee also said the government did not engage in “photo op politics” but wanted to implement development through its work.