MM Rahmatullah: Leaders of the 11-party political alliance on Wednesday called for the speedy implementation of the July Charter, stronger parliamentary accountability and reforms to state institutions, while announcing a long march from Dhaka to Chattogram on September 5 as part of their ongoing movement.

The announcement came after a meeting of the alliance`s top leaders, chaired by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Opposition Leader Dr Shafiqur Rahman MP, at the official residence of the Opposition Leader at 29 Minto Road in the capital.

Opposition Chief Whip and National Citizen Party Convener Nahid Islam MP, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis Ameer Maulana Mamunul Haque, Jamaat Assistant Secretary General and alliance coordinator Dr AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad, Nizam-e-Islam Party Acting Ameer Maulana Abdul Qayyum Sobhani, Bangladesh Labour Party Chairman Dr Mostafizur Rahman Iran, LDP Acting Secretary General Billal Hossain Miazi, Bangladesh Jatiya Ganatantrik Party Vice-President and spokesperson Engineer Rashed Pradhan, Bangladesh Development Party Chairman Advocate Anwarul Islam Chan, NCP Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary, AB Party Joint Secretary General Abdullah Al Mamun, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan Secretary General Mufti Fakhrul Islam and BDP General Secretary Nizam-ul Haque Naim, among others, attended the meeting.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, the alliance leaders said the country was currently facing a number of pressing challenges, including electricity and gas shortages, the closure of industrial units and growing economic pressure.

They said the July Charter must be implemented without delay. They also demanded an effective role for opposition lawmakers in parliamentary standing committees and called for opposition members to be given chairmanship of important committees.

According to the alliance leaders, such arrangements are necessary to ensure effective parliamentary oversight and accountability.

The leaders also expressed concern over the functioning of the National Human Rights Commission, the judiciary and other democratic institutions. They stressed the need to strengthen state institutions and make them more accountable to the people.

On the country`s energy situation, the alliance leaders said prolonged load-shedding was being reported in different areas. They warned that shortages of gas and fuel were also affecting industries and could have a negative impact on production and exports.

Announcing their next phase of political programmes, the leaders said the 11-party alliance would begin a long march from Dhaka towards Chattogram on September 5. They said programmes would subsequently be organised in different divisions before a grand rally in Dhaka.

They warned that if their demands were not implemented, the alliance would consider announcing a broader movement depending on the circumstances.

The leaders also spoke about press freedom and journalists` right to ask questions. They said threatening or intimidating journalists simply because their questions were unpopular was not conducive to a democratic environment.

They argued that repeated political crises were emerging because commitments made after political change had not been properly implemented.

The alliance leaders said the country`s problems could not be solved simply by changing governments. They called for meaningful changes in state institutions as well as in the country`s political culture, saying sustainable political reform required stronger institutions, accountability and respect for democratic practices.