According to sources, the goal of these programmes is to pressure the government into implementing the July Charter and ensuring a “level playing field” in the upcoming election. Jamaat has reportedly planned to extend the programme down to the union level.
Earlier, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) staged various programmes demanding an announcement of the election schedule.
Now, amid disagreements among major political parties, including BNP, over the implementation of the July Charter, Jamaat and Islami Andolan, along with two other Islamic parties, have for the first time announced a joint programme on common demands.
Analysts consider this combined programme as a signal that election-centric politics is moving onto the streets, while others view it as a hint of compromise or understanding ahead of the parliamentary election.
Discussions with leaders of the four parties revealed that eight parties had initially agreed to start the simultaneous movement on four to five common demands, including holding the election on the basis of the July Charter. Several meetings among top leaders were held to this end.
However, after the media reported on this, Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party issued a statement, National Citizen Party (NCP) leaders made Facebook posts, and the General Secretary of Gono Odhikar Parishad spoke by phone, expressing dissent on the joint programme.