Awami League (AL) General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today (Monday) called upon the international community to take more effective strategies for mounting enhanced pressure on Myanmar to take back its Rohingya nationals from Bangladesh. He said this at a regular press conference at his official residence on parliament premises in the capital. Quader said since the outset of Rohingya crisis, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been continuing diplomatic efforts seeking cooperation from the international community for the peaceful solution of the problem. The economy and environment of Bangladesh have been affected badly for hosting around 12 lakh Rohingyas who took shelter at Ukiah and Teknaf, he added. The minister said social environment and ecological balance of the areas is now at a stake due to living of excessive number of people there than its capacity. It is also putting adverse impacts on the tourism industry centering the world’s longest natural sea beach in Cox’s Bazar, he said. Quader said the government took the initiative to shift Rohingyas to Bhashan Char with additional facilities as their repatriation to Myanmar has been delayed. Under the circumstances, those Rohingyas who have shifted to Bhashan Char expressed their satisfaction, he went on saying. But some international organizations and media is spreading that the Rohingyas were shifted forcefully which is not true, he added. The minister said only those, who voluntarily wanted to shift, were taken there and no pressure was put on them. Turning to coronavirus situation, Quader said the government has already taken initiatives to procure vaccines which will reach the country in the last week of January or in February. He said preparations have been taken for properly handling the procurement of vaccine and its management and the health ministry is working on it. Though the vaccine is yet to reach the country, a vested quarter started spreading misleading information over the vaccine, he continued. The AL general secretary urged the people not to be confused by such purpose-oriented propaganda. About BNP leaders allegation that the government is sacrificing national interests to foreign forces to survive in power, Quader said actually the people know who wait at the doors of foreign embassies with flowers and sweets and who seek cooperation from foreign agencies in broad daylight to go to state power. He said the country achieved independence under the leadership of Awami League. So, every inch of soil of the country is as like as own entity of the government of Sheikh Hasina, he added. Source: BSS AH

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has brought allegations saying that the secret will of Awami League was to be the owner of the country. They are moving ahead according to that direction. Slowly they have taken control over courts, judiciary system, state mechanism, administration, parliament and all. He said this while discussing with the newsmen at his home at Tatipara in Thakurgaon town on Saturday. The BNP secretary general said, BNP will observe December 30 as the democracy killing day. The election of 30th December 2018 was done in the night of 29th December. Awami League has established one party ruling system depriving the people from their voting rights by doing vote robbery using the state mechanism. They are using the courts from different angles in different strategies to remain in power firmly. About local government elections Mirza Fakhrul said, the condition of election has remained same. BNP is participating in the elections for maintaining relations with people and as part of the movement. In other time it is neither possible to go near the people nor talk to the public. If we go then cases are filed or we come under attack. They do not prevent during elections. So the opportunity is created to talk and communicate with the people. About corona vaccine Fakhrul said, corruption is eternal habit of Awami League. They are not able to keep them away from this greed. The vaccine of 3 dollars is being bought at 5 dollars. It will not cost from the pockets of ministers or MPs, it will cost from the tax given by the people. The person who has got the contract is an advisor of the government but is a bank loan defaulter. It proves that corruption is remaining everywhere. AH   

Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today (Saturday) called upon the party men to eliminate corrupt persons and wrongdoers from the party and give scopes to dedicated and honest workers in doing politics. “Corrupt people should be eliminated while honest and dedicated workers should be given scopes in politics. There should not be any compromise with corrupt people,” he said while addressing a memorial meeting on footballer Badal Roy. He joined it through a videoconferencing from his official residence on parliament premises. Paying tributes to the memories of iconic footballer Badal Roy, Quader said Roy was a skilled footballer and sport organizer as well as an honest person. Many people in the sports arena think that Abahani means Awami League and Mohammedan means opponent of Awami League but Badal Roy had proved that there is no politics in sports, he added. Quader said Roy remained engaged with Mohammedan since the beginning of his career in sports but from his heart, he was a solider of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s ideology. Calling upon the sports organizers to engage the youths in sports, Quader said if the young generation cannot be engaged in sports or cultural activities, they could get involved in anti-social activities or drug addiction. He said it is sorrowful that some persons are using sports federations for gaining their personal interests. Sports federations must be kept free from corruption, he said. Turning to coronavirus situation, the minister said the pandemic is not a crisis for an individual or any group but for the entire mankind, so everyone should maintain health guidelines to check the transmission of the deadly virus. ‘Krira Paribar’ arranged the programme which was addressed, among others, by Awami League Advisory Council Member Mozaffar Hossain Paltu, Youth and Sports Secretary Harun-ur-Rashid, leaders of different sports federations and journalists. Source: BSS AH

Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader said, BNP cannot see any development of the government as it is remaining in political isolation being isolated from people. He said this on Thursday while briefing the newsmen on contemporary affairs at his official residence in the capital. Obaidul Quader, also the Road Transport and Bridges Minister said, the BNP secretary general as usual has been delivering false information against the government. It can be termed by not as criticism but as vengeance and lying. BNP wanted that people would die by not getting food and without treatment, but that has not happened, so they are jealous. He said, when different countries are witnessing troubles to control the coronavirus pandemic at that time the steps taken by the Prime Minister to prevent the transmission and for treatment and also for livelihood are being lauded worldwide. Obaidul Quader said, as well as doing harm to the people, lying and tarnishing image of the country are the main strategy of BNP. About coronavirus he said, it has been spreading as life threatening character and in this situation for safety of thyself and others there is no alternative to abide by the health guidelines including wearing masks. AH      

Gonoforum president Dr. Kamal Hossain and general secretary Dr. Reza Kibria have extended their full support to the complain of 42 eminent citizens sent to the President after bringing allegation of irregularities against the Election Commission. In a statement sent to the media on Wednesday evening they said, recently 42 eminent citizens of the country in a statement have demanded for taking action following investigation by the Supreme Judicial Council against the current Election Commission led by Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda over the allegations of financial irregularities, corruption and serious misconduct. We are extending our full support to the logical demand and proposal brought by the eminent citizens. In the statement the Gonoforum leaders also said, it was not expected to anyone about the serious complains like financial irregularities, corruption and serious complain related to the election against a constitutional institution like Election Commission. It is scandalous and unfortunate for the nation. They said, there are allegations of doing ‘business’ over purchase and appointment against the Election Commission. Image crisis has been created for the commission due to allegations of serious misconduct and irregularities in different elections like City Corporation and eleventh national parliament elections. We specially are requesting the President to take necessary actions following prompt investigation by forming the Supreme Judicial Council. AH