Newly formed political alliance Jatiyo Oikyafront chief Dr Kamal Hossain on Tuesday (Nov 6) called upon people to "stand up strongly" against the current government to realise their demands.
At a rally in Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka, Oikyafront leaders also threatened to march towards the Election Commission if the EC announce the schedule for the 11th parliamentary elections on Nov 8.
The Oikyafront held the rally a day before its second round of dialogue with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on its seven demands, local media reports said.
At the beginning of his address, the Oikyafront chief demanded the release of Bangladesh Nationalist Party Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, and other political prisoners.
Krishak Sramik Janata League President Kader Siddiqui called upon leaders and activists to strongly stand up under the banner of Oikyafront to win the next polls.
JSD president ASM Abdur Rob said they have waged a movement for freeing people from "misrule" and "restoring democracy". He warned the government that they will not return home until their demands are met to hold a "neutral" election.
Oikyafront leaders Zafrullah Chowdhury, Sultan Mohammad Mansur, BNP leaders Jamiruddin Sircar, Rafiqul Islalm Miah, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Moin Khan, Gono Forum leader Subrata Chowdhury and Bangladesh Jatiyo Party chairman Andaleeve Rahman Partho, among others, spoke.
The rally activities started in the noon with recitation from the holy Quran. It is the third rally of the Oikyafront as the alliance held rallies in Sylhet and Chattogram on Oct 24 and 27 respectively.
Thousands of leaders and activists of the BNP holding placards, banners started gathering at the rally venue since morning.
The Oikyafront’s seven-point demand includes installation of a "neutral" interim government, dissolution of parliament, "reconstitution" the Election Commission, release of all the political prisoners, deployment of army, and cancellation of the move to use Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for holding the next polls in fair and "acceptable" manner.
