They demanded reform in caretaker system of the government and electoral laws and resignation of Chief Election Commissioner including two of his deputies and new election commissioner to ensure a free and fair election.

The call was made at Rajshahi Divisional grand rally of Sammilita Nagorik Andolon (SNA) at Shaheb Bazar Zero point in the city with former Rajshahi University Vice-chancellor Prof Abdul Khalek in the chair.

Braving downpour, over ten thousand people from different northern districts attended the rally.

Justice KM Sobhan said the government betrayed with the people allowing Asia Energy to extract gas in the open pit mining system in Phulbari.

Journalist Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury said the alliance government did not fulfil its principal electoral pledges that proved its fundamentalist character.

"The government denied the very existence of Bangla Bhai, but now it announced to execute him", he added.

Blasting fundamentalist forces and war criminals, eminent litterateur Hasan Azizul Haque said, "People's security is in peril, as the defeated forces of 1971 are receiving government back-up."

Journalist Shariar Kabir said people has the right to know what Bangla Bhai and Shayekh Rahman wanted to tell to the media.

He also demanded a ban on politics of war criminals. "War criminals should be deported from the country and their voting right should be seized", he added.

Principal Abdul Ahad Chowdhury, Nasiruddin Yusuf Bachchu, Dr Sayed Shafikul Alam, Abdul Matin, Prof Saidur Rahman Khan, Afroza Haq Rina and Kuddus also spoke on the occasion.