A coalition of Islamist and like-minded parties has announced a united campaign to press for five key demands ahead of the next national election. 

The demands include full implementation of the July Charter, proportional representation (PR) voting, a ban on the politics of the Jatiya Party and the 14-party alliance, ensuring a level playing field for elections, and justice for the July killings.

The announcement was made by Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Amir, Charmonai Pir Mufti Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim, at a press conference on Monday (Sept 15).

According to Charmonai Pir, the July uprising was intended to ensure fundamental reforms in the country, but the focus has shifted solely to elections, which he warned could drag the nation back into the grip of the old political order. 

He emphasised that the movement was not merely about a change of power but aimed at cleansing political culture, restoring institutional balance, and ensuring the independence of constitutional bodies.

Expressing frustration at the failure to finalise the July Charter or enact key legal reforms in the past 14 months, he warned that post-election promises of reform were unlikely to be honoured. “That is why it is crucial to secure the legal foundation of reforms before the polls,” he said.

Charmonai Pir vowed to continue the movement until the demands are met and hinted that future programmes would become more intense if necessary.

Announced programmes are:

• September 18: Rally and protest march in Dhaka
• September 19: Protests in divisional cities
• September 26: Demonstrations across districts and upazilas

He also said that the movement was not directed against any single political party but was a moral obligation to honour those who sacrificed their lives during the July uprising.

SMS/