The Upazila Chairmen and Vice-chairmen Oikya Parishad yesterday urged the government to meet its 10-point demand and threatened to launch an agitation programme if the demands are not met immediately.

The parishad also announced a course of action to realise the demands, including establishment of upazila parishad as an autonomous body by amending the upazila parishad act.

Convener of the parishad advocate Abdul Mazid, also the chairman of Saturia upazila parishad in Manikganj, read out a written statement before the journalists in the afternoon after a daylong view exchange meeting of the chairmen and vice-chairmen at a city hotel.

The parishad will form human chains and hold rallies at every upazila across the country on March 3 and in every district on March 15 simultaneously.

They will form a human chain and hold a rally in front of the Jatiya Press Club, Dhaka on March 31 and will submit a memorandum to the prime minister on that day.

An agitation programme may be announced giving a 10-day ultimatum on the day of submitting the memo if the demands are not met, meeting sources said.

About 80 chairmen and vice-chairmen from all over the country attended the meeting after visiting the shrines of Hajrat Shahjalal (RA) and Shahporan (RA) in Sylhet. Chairman of Sunamganj Sadar Dewan Zainul Zakerin presided over it.

They said the programmes have been taken to strengthen the local government institutions through establishing actual powers of upazila chairmen and vice chairmen.

They are ready to take any course of actions to meet the demands, they added.

A 31-member committee of the parishad was formed with advocate Abdul Mazid as its convener. The Sylhet Divisional chapter of the parishad was also formed with Dewan Zainul Zakerin as its convener.

Other demands include keeping provision of announcing separate budget for upazila parishad, reorganisation of zila parishad by enacting laws and preparing five-yearly and annual development plans.