Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar alleged that some people were misleading the prime minister and pushing the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, or BNP, toward fascism. He made the remarks on Saturday afternoon as chief guest at a large protest rally organized by Dhaka Metropolitan North Jamaat in front of the Cholera Hospital in Mohakhali, Dhaka. The gathering demanded implementation of the public verdict in a referendum and swift trials for those involved in killings during the July mass uprising.

Porwar said reforming the fundamental structure of the constitution was the only way to prevent a resurgence of fascism. He claimed that although BNP benefited from the July uprising, it had moved away from its spirit. He said BNP and other parties had signed 84 reform proposals in the July Charter but were now retreating from that commitment.

He also alleged efforts to rehabilitate fascism under the name “Reform Awami League” through legal amendments. Rally chair Mohammad Selim Uddin called on activists to be ready to protect votes and demanded an end to attacks on July movement activists. A procession later marched from the Cholera Hospital area to Tejgaon Tibet intersection, with thousands of activists participating.