Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today (Wednesday) urged the BNP to come forward to form a strong Election Commission (EC) as the President is holding dialogue with all the enlisted political parties for constituting a neutral EC ahead of the next general elections.    "We hope that BNP will come forward for constituting a powerful EC by avoiding negative politics," he said while speaking virtually at a press conference on contemporary issues from his official residence in the capital this morning.    Whether the political parties would come or not, the formation of the Election Commission would not remain stopped, Quader also general secretary of the ruling Awami League told reporters.    Replying to a remark of BNP's secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir that 'the dialogue with the president is meaningless and it will not resolve the crisis,' the ruling party leader said the same system, which had been followed earlier in formation of EC, would also be followed this time.     Mentioning that earlier an Election Commissioner had been appointed from the list provided by the BNP, Quader said, "The powerful EC would never be formed through giving speeches in the media." A certain process needs to be followed for constituting the commission, he said, adding that the process would prove whether the BNP wants a powerful election commission or creates only controversy on the issue.    Criticizing BNP for organising a voter-less elections which had created chaotic situation for the democracy, the minister said, "It is BNP which wanted to bury the democracy by creating 1.25crore fake voters."    Terming BNP as a communal outfit, Quader said BNP is a creator of an undemocratic and plundering politics. Although BNP shows democracy in their speeches but practically it cherishes communalism and opportunist politics internally, he added.  "BNP has branding the country with fanatic, extremism and communal evil forces," he said, adding "But Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina has founded the country as a potential economic power before the world by establishing the rights of the people."     Replying to the allegations made by the BNP leaders that the government is spreading falsehood about the treatment of BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, AL general secretary said it is not the government but BNP which is spreading falsehood on the BNP chairperson's health issue.    Quader said the BNP leaders had not tried to release the BNP Chairperson from jail, rather they wanted to use Begum Zia's issue to achieve ill political purposes.   Even the BNP leaders have been doing excess politics with Begum Zia's health issue, the road transport minister said the BNP leaders focused on gaining political interest rather than Khaleda Zia's health issue. After all, Sheikh Hasina has established an instance of generosity and humanity on Begum Zia, he said. But they [BNP leaders] have no gratitude to this end.    Now, BNP has targeted to capture the state power anyhow because plundering of state wealthy is their only target, said the ruling party leader. Source: BSS AH

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader today (Saturday) said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam actually insulted the glory of valiant women freedom fighters and sacrifice of all war heroes by calling his party chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia a freedom fighter. He said this in a statement condemning and protesting Mirza Fakhrul’s comments published and aired in different print and electronic media. Quader, also road transport and bridges minister, said BNP, which is engaged in their traditional evil politics of falsehood, is continuously spreading propaganda in a purposeful way. Mentioning that anti-liberation evil forces are key forces of BNP, he said dubbing Khaleda as a female freedom fighter by Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is a cock and bull story. “I hope BNP leaders will refrain from making such fabricated stories. They should realize that people repeatedly boycotted them due to their involvement in arrogant activities like distortion of the history of the Liberation War,” he said. He said Mirza Fakhrul and other BNP leaders are now talking about money laundering. The people know who the kingpins of money laundering are and who looted and laundered crores of money by creating Hawa Bhaban.   Bangladesh became world champions in corruption when BNP was in power but they are now talking about money laundering, he said, adding that such acts of BNP are nothing but ‘the devil listening to the Scriptures’. Source: BSS AH

Ruling out the possibility of recurring the situation like one-eleven in the country, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today (Oct 25) said BNP is in a dream of recurring another one-eleven when the army backed caretaker government declared state of emergency for long two years after the regime of BNP in 2006. “BNP is expecting one more one-eleven...but it would not take place again in the country,’ he said. Quader, also general secretary of the ruling Awami League, made this comment while addressing a press conference at his ministry office in the secretariat in the capital.     “BNP wants to go to power not through the ballot, but through any undemocratic way,” he told the press conference.  Sharply criticizing a statement made by the BNP leaders that ‘BNP will never participate in elections under the ruling Awami League,’ the ruling party leader said “It [BNP’s statement] is nothing but a suicidal tendency by a responsible political party.” Quader, however, assured that the election will not take place under the Awami League government, but it will be held under the Election Commission (EC).  Although the BNP is still pursuing their ‘outdated way’ about participating in the polls, but it is obvious that the elections will be held timely in the country, he said. Blasting the BNP for resorting to rumour and propaganda as their political strategy, the minister said the birth of this particular political party is widely known to the people. “BNP is now in a dilemma as either they are not triggering movement or participating in the elections,’ he said. Terming the BNP as an isolated party, Obaidul Quader said not Awami League, but BNP is on the brink of bankruptcy as the party is in fear of election and people have no belief on their capacity to hold any demonstration. “Their [BNP’s] existence now has been limited to facebook and online,” the ruling party leader told the function. Regarding the selection of candidates for the local government elections, Quader said directives have been given to the grassroot level for sending particulars of the party’s tested leaders to the center. But appeal could be filed as per the party manifesto, if there is any allegation against any candidate, he added. Source: BSS AH

‘We have to initiate another mass upsurge’, BNP Secretary General MIrza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir made this comment and said that we could achieve our independence in exchange of lakhs of lives in 1971. The democracy was established in the country through the mass upsurge during 1990. BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia led the mass upsurge. And now the time has come again. We have to initiate another mass upsurge strongly. The BNP leader was speaking at a discussion on the occasion of Shaheed Jehad Day at National Press Club on Sunday. Mirza Fakhrul said, students played the vital role for initiating every movement. In 1990 Aman Ullah Aman and other student leaders succeeded. In 1952 during the language movement students also succeeded. In 1971 students and youths were the winners. Now a day a devastating situation is prevailing. He said, Jehad gave his blood for democracy but that has been snatched away. The attainments were snatched away. The independence that we achieved in 1971 is not being enjoyed by us at the moment. Our independence and sovereignty are at stake. We have turned into a genuflected state. We have nothing at the moment, so the Sheikh Hasina government will not be given time further, he commented. Convener of Dhaka metropolitan north BNP Aman Ullah Aman presided over the discussion. BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman was connected virtually in the program. AH

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, people are dying unfortunately by not getting corona vaccine and treatment. The secretary general said this in a press release sent to the media on behalf of the party on Sunday. He said, the corona situation is turning into a devastating look in the country due to apathy, failure and wrong policy of the government. Mirza Fakhrul said, life of low income people is getting extremely hard at the moment. Due to scarcity of food items and money people are passing their days without taking food properly. Sometimes they are committing suicide after being shocked by the effects of the pandemic. He alleged that the unethical government is filing false cases based on imagination against the workers of BNP and also arresting them to put them into the jail. The BNP leader said, snatching the voting rights of people, the Awami League government is getting more ferocious after filing cases and putting the BNP men in the jail. AH