Hefajat threatens to topple govt if demands not met

Hefajat-e Islam leaders yesterday threatened to topple the government if their 13-point demand was unmet and if their May 5 Dhaka blockade programme was resisted.
They, however, addressing its rally in Rajshahi city's Madrasa Maidan, assured that their movement was for the implementation of the demands, not to bring someone to power or topple the government.
The government will be able to safely stay in power if the demands were met, they added.
None of the demands are conflicting with the constitution and if any did so, then the government should amend the constitution, they said, adding that hundreds of people were ready to sacrifice their lives to implement the demands.
Demanding death penalty for Sohel Rana, owner of Rana Plaza which collapsed on April 24, they termed the collapse “gazab” (wrath of Allah) and said this “gazab” would not have befallen if their demands had been implemented.
They demanded immediate release of Amar Desh acting editor Mahmudur Rahman, terming him “the mouthpiece of the Muslim nation”.
Local BNP and Jatiya Party leaders provided water, watermelons and cucumbers to the several thousand madrasa students and Islami Chhatra Shibir activists who came from Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj, Natore and Naogaon to join the rally.