Islami Andolan Bangladesh (IAB) on Saturday presented a 16-point charter of demands to the government, urging active consideration for ensuring better governance and preventing the return of autocracy in the country.
They called for holding local government elections under a caretaker government before the national polls and barring corrupt individuals, loan defaulters, and terrorists from contesting elections.
The declaration was read out by IAB spokesperson Maulana Gazi Ataur Rahman at a grand rally held at Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital.
The party called upon the interim government to implement the demands in line with the spirit of the July mass uprising, aiming to establish good governance and justice.
Among the key demands were restoring the principle of full trust in Allah in the Constitution, repatriating money laundered abroad, introducing proportional representation (PR) elections in both chambers of parliament, and forging national consensus to build an exploitation-free state based on the July Charter.
The IAB also demanded administrative neutrality to ensure a free, fair, and credible election.
Other demands included taking steps to bring back and prosecute those involved in the July uprising killings, curbing extortion, terrorism, and political violence, and disclosing and annulling any anti-state agreements signed with India.
The charter further demanded a level-playing field before the election schedule is announced, an end to bribery and politically motivated cases, and the withdrawal of false charges.
The party also urged the government to take immediate steps against actions that go against Islam and the country's sovereignty, and to combat corruption and extortion through national unity and the implementation of Islamic values in all spheres of the state.
Earlier in the day, thousands of IAB leaders and activists gathered at Suhrawardy Udyan to join the rally.
Participants arrived from across the country between 9am and 2pm, with the first session beginning at noon, featuring speeches from district and city-level leaders.
The main session, presided over by IAB Ameer Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim, commenced around 2pm and continued into the afternoon. Leaders from Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh and the National Citizen Party (NCP) were also present at the event.
IAB has been campaigning since the July uprising for political reform, justice, and electoral change through a proportional representation system.
Party leaders said they have already engaged in discussions with other political groups to build consensus around these demands.
The large gathering led to significant traffic congestion on surrounding roads, disrupting vehicular movement in the area.
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com