Quader finds no necessity of dialogue with BNP

Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader on Friday ruled out any possibility of holding dialogue with the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party ahead of the next parliament election, state news agency BSS reports.

“There is no necessity of holding dialogue with BNP now,” he told a press conference marking the Awami League’s 69th anniversary at the party president’s Dhanmondi political office in the capital.

Quader, also road transport and bridges minister, said before the previous election, prime minister Sheikh Hasina invited BNP for dialogue but the opposition party rejected the invitation uttering very rough and rude words.

“BNP missed the ‘train’ of dialogue by rejecting the proposal before the previous parliament election,” he said.

About the next general election, the minister said, “This time we are very confident. None will be spared if violence and sabotage are carried out to create unrest in the country ahead of the next parliament election.”

He said BNP’s unrealistic dreams of winning in the next national polls as like as 2001 will never be successful.

The minister said BNP has no clear statement about the next election as they do not know properly what they want.

“But it is clear what we want. We want to hold the election in accordance with the constitution,” he added.

The minister said that as per the constitution, there is no scope for BNP to be included in the polls-time government.

About the party’s extended meeting, the Awami League general secretary said the party will hold a major extended meeting tomorrow.

Prime minister and Awami League president Sheikh Hasina will give directions to the party leaders and workers about the next parliament elections and upcoming city corporation polls, he said.

AL joint general secretaries Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif, Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Abdur Rahman, organizing secretaries AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, AKM Enamul Haque Shamim, office secretary Abdus Sobhan Golap, relief and social welfare secretary Sujit Roy Nandi, forest and environment affairs secretary Delwar Hossain, among others, were present on the occasion.