Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami staged nationwide protests today demanding reestablishment of caretaker government system and release of the party's leaders including its Ameer Shafiqur Rahman.

Jamaat leaders and activists protested in various districts of the country on Friday (15 September).

The party also demanded withdrawal of cases against its activists.

At a protest march held at the initiative of Gaibandha District Branch unit of Jamaat, District Ameer Md Abdul Karim said Jamaat has suffered the most oppression during the tenure of this government.

"Top leaders including Ameers and secretary generals of the organisation and thousands of leaders and activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and opposition parties are being arrested and harassed," he added.

"High court directions are being ignored. The activists are being remanded and tortured day after day. Arrested leaders who have been granted bail, are not being released. On the contrary, they are being re-arrested and kept in jail with new false and fabricated cases," the Jamaat leader further said.

Secretary of Chattogram District Jamaat Alauddin Sikder said, "Democracy has to be restored by freeing the nation from curses like disappearances, murders and crossfires under the current undemocratic government."

"I call upon the people of all classes and professions, including the conscious countrymen, to establish a government of the people through a free, fair, participatory and impartial election by establishing a non-partisan neutral caretaker government," he added.