Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami organized a massive two-kilometer-long human chain in Satkhira on Wednesday (October 15) to press home its five-point demands. The demonstration stretched from Khulnaroad intersection to Itagacha Haat intersection, drawing thousands of party activists and local citizens.
The party’s five key demands include:
- Legal recognition of the July Charter,
- Parliamentary elections under a proportional representation (PR) system for both houses,
- Ensuring a level playing field for a free and fair election,
- Visible trial of the authoritarian government’s oppression, corruption, and alleged human rights violations, and
- A ban on the activities of the ruling 14-party alliance and its ally, the Jatiya Party, labeling them as collaborators of autocracy.
Key Speakers and Messages:
Addressing the event as chief guest, Jamaat’s central Shura member and district Ameer, Vice Principal Shahidul Islam Mukul, said, “These five demands represent the voice of the people. Their implementation will pave the way for true democracy and guarantee basic rights.”
Simultaneous demonstrations were held at various points in the city, including Khulnaroad, Court Chattar, New Market, and Tufan Mor.
- Professor Omar Faruq presided over the rally at Khulnaroad,
- Maulana Habibur Rahman led the demonstration at the court area,
- Shahidul Islam Mukul spoke at New Market, and
- District Secretary Maulana Azizur Rahman addressed the gathering at Tufan Mor.
Maulana Azizur Rahman warned, “Thousands of people are peacefully expressing their demands today. But if the government refuses to listen, the people will make themselves heard in a language it understands.”
Professor Omar Faruq emphasized, “Jamaat-e-Islami is a party for the people. We don’t fight for individuals or families—we fight for national interest and public rights.”
Speakers argued that the proposed referendum under the July Charter would act as a preparatory step for national elections, helping citizens distinguish who truly supports democracy.
District leaders called on the government to arrange the referendum by November and hold national elections under the July Charter framework by February. They warned of intensified protests if the demands are ignored.
The human chain turned the streets from Khulnaroad to Itagacha into a sea of banners, placards, and slogans, as citizens joined alongside party activists. According to the organizers, this peaceful protest marks the beginning of a larger mass movement against repression and authoritarian rule.
