Opposition leader announces street protests after parliament rejects reform motion

Opposition Leader Shafiqur Rahman has confirmed his alliance will launch public street demonstrations, hours after leading a mass walkout from parliament over the failure to reach a resolution on convening the Constitution Reform Council.

The announcement came at an evening press briefing on Wednesday, shortly after Jamaat-led opposition lawmakers exited the Jatiya Sangsad in protest at the conclusion of two days of debate on the July National Charter.

Shafiqur told reporters that the opposition had exhausted all available parliamentary options after their adjournment motion was not put to a vote. He accused the government of deliberately tabling a separate duplicate notice on the same issue as a procedural tactic to sideline the original proposal.

"We are deeply surprised, hurt and aggrieved," the Jamaat Ameer said. "Bangladesh has held three referendums before, and none ended like this. In every previous case the people's verdict was honoured. This is the first time in our history that government and opposition stood together and asked the public to vote yes, only for that result to be ignored, defied and discarded afterwards."

Shafiqur stressed that the opposition had sought to resolve the matter entirely through constitutional channels. "We sincerely wanted this settled inside the House. Had that happened, the people would have been satisfied."

"Since the people's will was not duly respected and accepted within parliament, we now have only one path left. We will return to the people. We will go back to those who gave us this mandate."

He described the outcome as a painful setback both for the nation and the credibility of the 13th parliament, saying the public's aspiration for fundamental political reform had been blocked from proceeding through proper procedure.

Shafiqur confirmed that the 11-party opposition alliance will hold an emergency meeting shortly to finalise the details and timeline of the protest campaign, with a full announcement to be made to the media once plans are agreed.