Quader finds police obstruction to BNP rally normal

Obaidul Quader
Obaidul Quader

Ruling Bangladesh Awami League (AL) general secretary Obaidul Quader said on Friday the law enforcers obstructed main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP) rally as it was “organised on the road illegally”.

“The road in front of the National Press Club is a busy one. People suffer when rallies are organised blocking the road. It is normal that the police will intervene in such case. BNP has committed an unlawful act by organising rally blocking the road,” claimed Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, while talking to newsmen during his visit to Narayanganj to see road repairing work of Dhaka-Narayanganj road.

The senior ruling party leader also said the opposition BNP itself is responsible for the police obstruction to their recent programme. 

Referring to the arrest of pro-BNP Swechchhasebak Dal president Shafiul Bari Babu, the AL spokesperson said Babu is an accused in a case. “Should the police allow an accused going off scot-free if they find the accused?” he asked.

When his attention was drawn to the denial of permission for BNP’s scheduled rally at the capital’s Suhrawardy Udyan, the minister said it is the Dhaka Metropolitan Police authorities which decide who should be given the permission for holding rally and the ruling party will not intervene in it. 

In response to a question, Quader claimed that all the political parties, including country’s major parties BNP and AL, are making preparations for the 11th parliamentary elections slated to be held in the yearend.

“If the elections are held in December this year, the preparations [for the polls] will start by October. The question of equal opportunities for all parties will come only after the announcement of the election schedule. Now the election commission has nothing to do,” he said.