Awami League (AL) General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Friday said his party hardly cares about BNP’s public rallies.
Quader made the comment while speaking at a press briefing at his official residence here.
In reply to a statement of BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, he said there is no reason for the government to be shaken by the turnout at BNP’s rallies.
“The BNP was unable to gather one lakh people despite targeting 10 lakh. Pepple see huge public gatherings at the AL’s ward- and thana level council in the city, which were reported in media. This is the actual senario of BNP’s rally.”
He said the AL will play game against those who want to play with the fate of 17 crore people.The game will be played against Hawa Bhaban, looting, money laundering and corruption, and against those who created 1.25 crore fake voters and the vote thefts.
Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said the game will be played against those who opposed the country’s development and those who patronised communal forces and who do not believe in the spirit of the Liberation War.
Quader said BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia once stated that none is impartial except the insane and the children.
“So, do you want elections under a caretaker government led by madmen or children? The BNP leaders who are blinded by the lust for power can only seek that,” he said.
Quader said there is a constitutional body – Election Commission (EC) – in the country and the election will be held on time under it while the government will only cooperate with the Commission.
He also said the elections will be held in the country the way polls are being held in democratic countries of the world, not under any person or party.
“Do you (BNP) remember how much you left in the reserve?” he asked, adding that when BNP quit power, the country’s foreign reserve was less than US$ five billion,” he said.
“Has the government gulped the reserve money or has it spent the reserve for the development of the country and the welfare of the people through import expenditure?, he asked.
Quader said from that level, the foreign reserve increased to US$ 48 billion during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government.
Due to ongoing global crisis, the reserve came down to US$ 36 billion from US$ 48 billion, he said adding, not only Bangladesh but also the whole world has been facing this crisis.
“The reserve during the BNP’s era was zero. Now how do they (BNP leaders) talk about reserve? The government will be able to import for the next 5 to 6 months with the current reserves,” the AL general secretary said.
About Fakhrul’s advice to transport owners and workers over the transport strikes, he said hundreds of vehicles were vandalised, petrol bombs were thrown on cars and transport workers and earnings of transport workers were stopped forcibly by the BNP.
Quader said the BNP men had made transport owners’ and workers’ families destitutes and they did not forget the BNP’s arson attacks and terrorism.
Quader said that the transport owner workers are not of any particular party, there are people from all parties here.
He recalled the BNP leaders and said that the President of Transport Owners Association of Awami League, General Secretary from Bangladesh Somajtantik Dal, BNP leader Shimul Biswas is also the Senior Vice President of Bangladesh Workers Federation. Ask him why the strike?
Owners Association composed of all parties, Jatiya Party is the president there, General Secretary Awami League supported, all other parties are represented, – Obaidul Quader urged BNP leaders to talk to them and ask them why they are afraid of you, why they can’t forget the painful memories 2013-14, ask them.
Source: United News of Bangladesh