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Thousands of Jamaat-e-Islami activists have staged a protest march in Dhaka, pressing for a five-point charter of demands that includes issuing an order to implement the July National Charter and holding a referendum in November.
After 11:00 am on Thursday, the Dhaka Metropolitan South unit of Jamaat brought out a procession from Motijeel’s Shapla Chattar, which later converged at Paltan intersection for a rally, bdnews24.com reports.
The Dhaka Metropolitan North unit’s march joined them at the same venue after moving through Naya Paltan.
As part of the previously announced programme, supporters of eight like-minded parties, including Jamaat, gathered at the Paltan intersection.
Following brief speeches by top party leaders at the rally, they were set to march towards the Chief Advisor’s Office in Jamuna.
In addition to Jamaat, members of Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Khelafat Majlis, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, Bangladesh Nezam-e-Islam Party, Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan, Jatiya Ganatantrik Party–JAGPA and Bangladesh Development Party also joined the programme, each bringing separate processions under their own banners to the Paltan intersection.
The five-point list of demands includes halting political harassment and arrests during the interim government's tenure, ensuring equal opportunities for all parties in the parliamentary elections and guaranteeing freedom of religion as well as unhindered operation of political organisations.
Jamaat Assistant Secretary General AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad said the party would formally submit a memorandum to the government, calling for a referendum before the national election in February.
At the beginning of the march, he said: “We will present our demands in writing to the chief advisor. These demands remain as clear as before -- that the referendum must take place before the election and on a separate day.”