Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar said the party and the 11-party alliance would make no compromise over implementing the referendum verdict. Speaking after a meeting with newspaper editors at the opposition leader’s official residence on Mintoo Road in Dhaka on Monday, he said 70 percent of voters had supported “yes” in the referendum held on the basis of the July Charter.

Porwar said the alliance considers implementation of the verdict the country’s foremost issue and would return to the public if parliament fails. He accused the government of delaying implementation, saying the law minister agreed with three and a half of four referendum issues while differing on the remaining half. Jamaat also raised concerns about limited parliamentary speaking opportunities, development allocations, power and gas shortages, rising commodity prices, and expatriates’ rights.

The 11-party alliance announced a long march and vehicle convoy from Dhaka’s Shapla Chattar towards Chattogram at 7am on the 5th. Porwar said the programme would seek implementation of the referendum verdict and public rights, and called for public participation along the route. He said editors urged peaceful, orderly political programmes and continued dialogue with the media.