Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General and Rangpur-Dinajpur regional director Maulana Abdul Halim urged the government to accept and implement the referendum verdict if it fears opposition protests. He made the call on Saturday afternoon while chairing a preparatory meeting in Rangpur for the 11-party alliance’s Dhaka-to-Rangpur long march scheduled for September 19.

Halim said implementing the referendum verdict is among the alliance’s six demands. He alleged that the government had raised both parliamentary elections and a referendum on July reforms under a presidential order, but was ignoring the referendum result. He also criticised statements by BNP leaders on following the July Charter, arguing that this did not amount to accepting the referendum verdict.

He said the long march would include a human chain from Manik Mia Avenue in Dhaka to Rangpur District School, alongside public meetings, marches and picketing. Halim called on regional organisers to conduct the programme peacefully. He also criticised appointments of party-linked administrators to district councils and raised concerns over shortages of gas, electricity, fuel and fertiliser, as well as rising commodity prices.