NCP skips opening rally, joins long march

Four leaders of the National Citizens' Party (NCP) joined the Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party alliance's long march toward Khulna division, despite party top brass missing the opening rally.

The long march commenced around 8:30 AM on Monday, October 31, following an inaugural rally at the south gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in the capital.

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Leader of the Opposition Shafiqur Rahman addressed the gathering as the chief guest, calling on citizens to prepare for an "inevitable revolution" before flag-off.

While NCP Convener and Member Secretary opted out, party leaders including Senior Joint Convener Hasnat Abdullah, Joint Conveners Ariful Islam Adeeb and Abdul Hannan Masud, and Joint Member Secretary SM Saif Mustafiz joined the convoy to represent the party symbolically.

The 425-kilometer long march—demanding referendum implementation, constitutional reform based on the July National Charter, trial of mass killings, and price control—will pass through 19 districts toward Khulna, Jasore, and Kushtia, with security heightened as the motorcade transits through Gopalganj.

-SA