“Road Transport and Bridges Minister and General Secretary of Bangladesh Awami League, Obaidul Quader, said, ‘The ideologue has died in court judgment. There will be no caretaker government election in Bangladesh. In all countries of the world, elections are held without a caretaker government. Why do the leaders from Europe and America come to Bangladesh? I question which country has elected an ideologue. Not in Europe, not in America. I promise to cast a fair, honest, and trustworthy vote. I can give this assurance. I urge the democratic world to observe this vote with an observer.’
On Sunday (July 23), during a peace and development rally organized by Awami League and its associated organizations in Basurhat Municipality, Noakhali, the Chief Guest, Obaidul Quader, made these remarks.
Regarding the BNP Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul’s statement, he said, ‘He is sophisticated but poorly behaved in his words. When he speaks, he appears to be a pathological liar. He claimed that the BNP will not get even 10 seats. In 2008, Mirza Fakhrul and his leader claimed that the Awami League would get only 30 seats, but in the election, the Awami League won 30 seats. They were left with the destiny of those 30 seats, which they had wanted to give to the Awami League with the authority of Allah. Now, I don’t know what will happen. Fakhrul is running the party from London.’
Addressing the BNP, he said, ‘If the BNP comes to power again, they will repeat the Hawa Bhaban era. Democracy, the Liberation War, the ideal of independence, and the country’s economic development will be destroyed. If they get the opportunity, they will ruin Bangladesh. This party has no respect for democracy, the Liberation War, the rule of law, the country’s security, or fair elections. BNP means vote rigging, election fraud. BNP means a list of fake voters. BNP is a frustrated party. They can’t do anything for power. The only goal of BNP is to remove Sheikh Hasina from power.’
Regarding development, Obaidul Quader said, ‘The BNP knows that if there is an election, the Awami League will win. 70 percent of the people of Bangladesh are eager to vote for Sheikh Hasina. Believe what I say, write it down daily. Don’t see anything else. Don’t see development. They can’t do anything on their own. Sheikh Hasina has built the Padma Bridge, the metro rail. When they see this development, it increases the heartburn of the BNP leaders.’
He advised the party leaders and activists to improve their behavior, saying, ‘Correct your behavior when you do development. The power doesn’t last forever.’
When asked about the BNP’s upcoming grand rally in Dhaka on July 27, he said, ‘We have no reaction to it. Our program is the National Development March in August, September, the remaining days of July, and the National Development Parade in October.'”
The meeting was presided over by Abdul Kader Mirza, the president of Companiganj Upazila Awami League, and among others, present were Nizam Uddin Hazari, MP of Feni-2, Khayrul Anam Shakil, president of Feni district Awami League, and Mohammad Sahab Uddin, chairman of Companiganj Upazila Parishad.
Earlier on the same day at 11 am, the Road Transport and Bridges Minister inaugurated the modernization project of the Basurhat Bus Stand and the installation of 535 solar lamps in Basurhat Municipality.”
