Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader Thursday said when the country is moving forward, a reactionary section, led by BNP, is trying to halt the pace of the country’s progress.
“They (the reactionary section) want to destroy the people’s properties by destabilizing the country in the name of movement,” he told a press conference on temporary issues at his official residence here.
Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said coping with the adverse impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, the country’s people have started returning to normal life.
“In this context, it is urgent to ensure our political stability and development-friendly environment,” he added.
Responding to an allegation of BNP that the government has flattened the expectation of people, the AL general secretary said in fact the BNP itself does not value the people’s expectation.
Mentioning that Bangladesh is moving forward at an indomitable pace in every socioeconomic index, Quader said the Sheikh Hasina government has awakened hope in the minds of the country’s young generation.
About the conviction of BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, he said by suspending her punishment, the government has given her the opportunity to take treatment staying at her home.
“The BNP has no gratefulness. If the BNP leaders had it, they would have been grateful to the generosity of Sheikh Hasina,” the road transport minister said.
He said the BNP leaders are stating that the government made BNP senior vice-chairman Tareq Rahman to be in exile but their allegation is one of their falsehoods.
The AL general secretary asked who fled the country in the name of medical treatment giving an undertaking. Tareq himself fled the country on the condition to the then caretaker government that he would not do politics in the future, he said.
He also asked the BNP leaders to bring Tareq back to the country if they have the courage. If Tareq wants to do politics, he must to do by returning home, Quader said.
About the statement of Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukder over competitive elections, the minister said: “BNP should participate in the elections to make the polls competitive but Mahbub Talukder could not bring BNP in the elections.”
Talukder spoke about the indifference of voters in the elections, but even in this COVID-19 crisis, the turnout of the recent local government elections was about 69 percent, he said.
Noting that statement of Talukder was politically motivated, Quader said he cannot make such a statement holding a responsible position.
