|| Bogura District Correspondent: Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Leader of the Opposition Dr Shafiqur Rahman has vowed that extortion targeting ordinary people and working-class citizens will not be allowed to continue."Will a worker or truck driver support his family with his hard-earned income, or become destitute by paying extortion at every turn?" he asked, stressing the need to take a firm stance against extortion.Dr Shafiqur made the remarks while addressing a rally in Sherpur of Bogura on Saturday (September 19) as the chief guest of the 11-party alliance's Dhaka-Rangpur long march.The long march is being organised with a number of demands, including implementation of the people's verdict in the referendum, trial of the July massacre, resolution of electricity, fuel, gas and fertiliser shortages, control of rising prices of essential commodities, an end to corruption, extortion and land grabbing, improvement of law and order, an end to narrow partisan practices, and implementation of the Teesta Master Plan."There is a group of people who seem to have only one demand-'give me more'," Dr Shafiqur said. He alleged that ordinary people, workers and truck drivers face extortion at various points while travelling for work. Referring to a truck driver travelling from Panchagarh, he claimed that drivers are forced to pay money at different places along the route and may face attacks if they refuse."Why should a truck driver have to pay extortion at so many places? Should he use his earnings to support his family, or become penniless by paying extortion?" he asked.Dr Shafiqur warned that any attempt to impose new burdens on the people would face protest. He also called for respect for the verdict given by the people, saying that making one set of promises before an election and taking an opposite position afterwards amounts to deceiving the people.Referring to the events of 2024, he said many people had lost their lives while others had suffered disabilities. According to him, their aspiration was for a state where employment opportunities would be based on merit and competence, justice would be ensured, and jobs or business opportunities would not be distributed on the basis of political identity. He alleged that attempts were being made to return the country to old practices. Any effort to use party cadres for land grabbing, deprive people of their rights or provide unfair advantages to individuals would be resisted, he said.Responding to questions over the necessity of the long march, Dr Shafiqur said those questioning the programme should first answer whether proper respect was being shown to the people's verdict and whether the expectations declared during the July movement had been fulfilled.He also criticised the state of utility and agricultural services, alleging that people were not receiving adequate electricity and gas supplies and that farmers were not getting fertiliser on time."If electricity supply is not adequate, why should electricity bills increase two or three times?" he asked.The Jamaat chief said people would protest if additional burdens were imposed on them and pledged to remain on the streets to protect their rights.Highlighting the participation of women in the rally, he said mothers and sisters who are not usually seen on the streets had also joined the programme in solidarity with the demands. Their participation, he said, would strengthen the movement.Dr Shafiqur said the government would be thanked if the demands were accepted. Otherwise, he warned, the long march would be expanded further.He called on people from all political backgrounds to join the programmes from Dhaka to Rangpur and from Panchagarh to Dhaka, saying the demands were not limited to any single political party but also concerned ordinary citizens, farmers, workers, youths and women. Declaring that they would remain on the streets until the demands were met, he said no intimidation or pressure would force them to retreat.Addressing party leaders and activists, Dr Shafiqur said leaders should remain with the people rather than stay behind them. He said he would personally stay at the forefront and, if necessary, bear the risks faced by the people, even urging authorities to arrest him if they wished to do so.He concluded by saying that they would not retreat regardless of the obstacles ahead and called upon everyone to stand together in the movement for people's rights.