The coalition of 11 political parties, led by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, held a massive national rally at Suhrawardy Udyan to demand the immediate implementation of a public referendum verdict.

Addressing a gathering of “July martyrs’ families and fighters,” alliance leaders accused the current administration of abandoning its reform mandates and failing to honor the sacrifices made during the recent uprising.

Jamaat Ameer Shafiqur Rahman, the event’s chief guest, claimed the government has been selective in its policy actions, ignoring a referendum result that he stated showed 70% support for curbing authoritarianism and establishing transparency.

Dr Shafiqur also took aim at the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), accusing them of resisting meaningful structural reforms and adopting “authoritarian practices” of their own. He warned that if the public verdict is not enforced, the alliance would be forced to launch a new wave of street agitations.

The rally featured emotional testimony from the families of those killed or injured during the July movement. Among the speakers were Advocate Shahidul Islam Khan and Shahidul Islam Khan, fathers of victims Zubayer Khan and Anas Farhan Faiyaz, as well as Touhid Farazi and Atiur Islam, both of whom suffered permanent disabilities during the protests.
Their accounts were used to highlight what the alliance describes as a betrayal of the movement’s original goals of creating a Bangladesh free from political domination.

Nayeb-e-Ameer ATM Azharul Islam echoed these sentiments, alleging that the country is currently being steered toward a system of one-person rule. He pledged that Jamaat leaders would be on the front lines of future protests if the government continues to deny the necessity of constitutional change.

Similarly, Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar accused the authorities of misleading the electorate and criticized the BNP for its apparent dissent regarding deep-seated constitutional reforms.

The event, co-hosted by Ehsanul Mahbub Zubayer, Matiur Rahman Akand, Shafiqul Islam Masud, and Yasin Arafat, saw participation from across the 11-party alliance.

High-profile figures including Oli Ahmad, Mamunul Haque, and Nahid Islam spoke about the economic and political strains currently facing the nation.

They argued that the current trajectory of the state contradicts the expectations of a “new Bangladesh” that emerged following the July unrest.

Other prominent speakers included Asaduzzaman Fuad and Maulana Sakhawat Hossain, who raised concerns over recent reports of attacks on opposition activists and students.

The rally concluded with a collective call for the formal recognition of the movement’s victims and a swift transition toward the governance reforms promised at the start of the administration’s tenure.