BNP looking for ways to escape upcoming polls: Quader

Publish: 1:30 PM, September 9, 2018 | Update: 1:30 PM, September 9, 2018

SAIDPUR, Nilphamari – Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader today said BNP is now looking for ways to escape the upcoming national election in fear of defeat and wants to create anarchy across the country.

“BNP has failed to wage any movement against the present government as they have no public support. Now they are holding meetings at home and abroad to create chaos in the country,” he said, addressing a press conference at Saidpur Airport before starting for Dhaka at 10:30 am.

Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said, “There is no dissatisfaction among the countrymen and the huge gathering of the common people at different rallies held yesterday on the way from Dhaka to Nilphamari during the train journey proved it…The street rallies turned into public meetings.”

He said the possibility of their (BNP) defeat has increased as the common people took part in the train journey of AL willingly.

Quader said the election schedule will be declared within one and a half months and there is no unstable situation in the country. The politics of BNP is limited in criticism of their rivals, he added.

He said BNP has no ability to become as an opposition party in parliament and the countrymen will identify them (BNP) as the most failed opposition party in the country’s history.

The ruling party general secretary said BNP could not wage any movement only for 10 minutes in the last 10 years. “After failing to wage a movement, they rode on the quota reformists and the students’ movements for safe road. But, they also failed there,” he said.

About the polls-time government, Quader said, “The election-time cabinet will take the charge and only Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has the right to look into the matter of the size of the cabinet as per the constitution.”

He said the size of the cabinet will be small as like as the size during the previous polls. “Those having no representation in the present parliament cannot be made members of the polls-time government,” the minister added.

About the train tour, Quader said, “It is really unbelievable that we got huge responds from the common people during the journey. The street rallies, especially the one at Birampur Rail Station in Dinajpur, turned into public meetings.”

He said, “The election is coming and we will publicize our development works. It is natural.”

Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor, AL Joint General Secretary Advocate Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Organizing Secretaries Ahmad Hossain, BM Mozammel Haque and Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, Publicity and Publication Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud, Cultural Affairs Secretary Ashim Kumar Ukil and Deputy Office Secretary Barrister Biplob Barua, among others, were present in the press conference.

A delegation of Awami League, led by Obaidul Quader, left Kamalapur Railway Station for Nilphamari by a train yesterday, aiming to carry out campaigns in northern districts ahead of the forthcoming national polls.

They held rallies at railway stations in Tangail, Pabna, Natore, Bogura, Joypurhat, Dinajpur and Nilphamari districts and directed the AL grassroots leaders to get ready for the election.