DHAKA,  – Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today said BNP is trying to create political unrest by exploiting the issue of BNP chairperson’s illness.

“BNP is trying to create anarchy in the country using the issue of BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia’s illness,” he said.

Quader, also general secretary of the ruling Awami League, came up with this comment while addressing a view exchange meeting with two city mayors, councillors and party leaders of city’s north and south units in connection with observance of the Mujib Barsho and the golden jubilee of the independence at Bangabandhu Avenue here.

“BNP is continuously giving fictitious statement over health issue of Begum Khaleda Zia. BNP leaders would have to answer to their own party for making such fabricated statement,” said Quader who chaired the meeting.

Mentioning the comments of BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir that Awami League will be no more if Begum Zia dies, Quader said, “Actually he [Fakhrul] wanted to say that BNP will not exist, if Khaleda is no more.”

The question of non-existence of Khaleda Zia and BNP can be interlinked, he said, adding that but Awami League has been emerged from the core of the people, so, the party will remain alive till the country will exist and its red-green flag will flare up in the sky.

Criticizing the BNP leaders for creating confusion over the treatment of the BNP chief, he said the BNP leaders themselves once would have to give explanations before the party for this ‘excessive politics’.

Even the people of the country is also considering that Khaleda Zia’s treatment has felt prey to BNP’s excessive politics, Quader stated.

Refuting Miza Fakhrul’s another statement where he claimed that ‘Khaleda Zia has been ‘slowly poisoned’, the ruling party general secretary said since Begum Zia is surrounded by BNP men, her housemaid and her own physicians, so how Awami League will slowly poison her.” So, it is a ridiculous matter,” he added.

Remembering the day of the fall of the dictatorship on December 6, Quader said, “The dictatorship led by General Hussain Muhammad Ershad was ousted on this day, adding that “Although the dictatorship was toppled, the enemies of the Liberation War and democracy are still active in the country.”

“These enemies are continuously working against the development and stability . . . they want to destroy the stability of the country, they are trying to fish in troubled water by creating communal unrest, he said.

“These evil forces are involved in hatching conspiracy at home and abroad,” he said and added that “So, we have to get united and strengthened the hand of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina against these evil forces.”

Giving instructions to the party leaders-activists for observing the golden jubilee of the independence and the Mujib Borsho in a befitting manner, Quader said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will administer oath to the nation in the afternoon on December 16.

About the programmes on the victory day, leaders and activists of Awami League will pay tribute at Bangabandhu Bhaban and Savar on the day. A colourful programme will be held on the premises of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on December 17 where guests from home and abroad will take part.

In addition to this, the ruling Awami League will bring out a colourful rally from ‘Shikha Chiranton’ to Bangabandhu Bhaban at 2.30pm on December 18.

The view exchange meeting also was attended, among others, by Awami League presidium members Begum Matia Chowdhury and Jahangir Kabir Nanak, joint general secretaries Mahbubul Alam Hanif and Dr Dipu Moni, organizing secretaries Abu Sayeed Al Mahmud Shawpan, BM Mozammel Huq, Mirza Azam, SM Kamal and Advocate Afzal Hossain, office secretary Barrister Biplob Barua, Dhaka North City Mayor Atiqul Islam, Dhaka South City Mayor Barrister Fazle Noor Taposh, Dhaka north and south city Awami League leaders and all city councillors.