The 11-party alliance led by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has suspended its planned long march to Sylhet, which was scheduled for November 21. No new date has been announced for the programme.

The alliance had initially considered travelling by road but later planned to use the railway because of the poor condition of the Dhaka-Sylhet highway. However, the long march has ultimately been postponed.

Jamaat-e-Islami leaders said on Friday (November 13) that the proposal to travel by train came from local-level leaders. The plan was to reach Sylhet by train and hold a roadside meeting at a location near the railway station. The organisers believed this would help avoid public inconvenience caused by road travel.

Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar said no new date had been fixed for the Sylhet-bound long march. Senior party leaders would hold a meeting and make a decision later.

Hamidur Rahman Azad, coordinator of the 11-party alliance and assistant secretary general of Jamaat, said the next programme of the movement could be announced after reviewing previous activities and assessing the overall situation in the country.

The 11-party alliance announced a series of long marches towards four divisions on August 6, demanding implementation of the referendum verdict and six other demands. Jamaat Ameer Shafiqur Rahman announced the programme at a sit-in event at Muktangan in the capital.

As part of the programme, the alliance held long marches towards Chattogram on September 5, Rangpur on September 19 and the Khulna division on October 31. The concluding rally of the Khulna programme was held in Kushtia.