Sylhet, July 26 (V7N) — Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Dr Shafiqur Rahman has warned that any government attempting to establish what he described as a “fascist system” would face public resistance and removal.

“If you establish fascism, the people will remove you as well,” Dr Shafiqur Rahman said while addressing a divisional rally of an 11-party alliance in Sylhet on Saturday (July 25).

He alleged that the government was moving toward a path of authoritarianism and urged it to respect what he described as the people's mandate for reforms. He claimed that around 70 percent of voters supported reforms in a referendum and said the outcome must be implemented.

“Bangladesh does not want any form of fascism anymore,” he said, adding that his party would not allow the referendum verdict to be ignored.

Dr Shafiqur Rahman also criticised the government, alleging that those who had once suffered political oppression were now following the same path. He accused the authorities of excessive politicisation and corruption, saying such practices would not be accepted.

Calling on the government to accept the alliance’s demands, he said the people had made sacrifices during recent movements and that his party would not compromise on what he called the aspirations of the martyrs and July movement activists.

The Jamaat chief also urged supporters to join a planned rally in Dhaka and said the alliance would continue its movement to press for its demands.

Addressing regional issues, Dr Shafiqur Rahman highlighted several longstanding demands of Sylhet, including upgrading Osmani International Airport into a full-fledged international airport, completing the Sylhet-Dhaka highway project, upgrading Sylhet Engineering College into a university, and starting the activities of Sylhet Medical University. He said these demands would be addressed if his alliance came to power.

At the rally, National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam said youth movements against injustice and inequality across different countries represented a continuation of the July uprising. He alleged that the government was ignoring public expectations and warned that political consequences could follow if the people's mandate was disregarded.

Khelafat Majlis Ameer Maulana Mamunul Haque said the alliance was formed not merely for elections or gaining power but to implement the July Charter and the goals of the July uprising. He warned that the movement would continue until those objectives were achieved.

Other political leaders, including representatives from Jatiya Ganatantrik Party (JAGPA), AB Party, Nizam-e-Islam Party, Bangladesh Labour Party, and Bangladesh Development Party, also addressed the rally and expressed support for implementing reforms based on what they described as the referendum verdict.

The rally was chaired by Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Chairman and former minister Colonel (retd) Oli Ahmed Bir Bikram.

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