BNP to fall flat on 28 October like they did on 10 December: Quader
The condition of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on 28 October will be like that of 10 December last year, remarked governing Bangladesh Awami League (AL) General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Friday.
The party’s movement fell flat at the Golapbagh cattle market in Dhaka on 10 December; let’s wait and see where they will falter this time, he added.
Obaidul Quader was talking to the newspersons after a meeting with Puja Celebration Committee leaders at the Dhanmondi political office of AL president Sheikh Hasina in the capital.
De facto opposition BNP announced a grand rally in Dhaka on 28 October. Regarding this rally of BNP, Quader said, “(The BNP leaders) arrogantly said that Begum Zia will run the country from 10 December (2022). Their condition will be the same on 28 October like 10 December. I’m just thinking about which place they will falter. On 10 December (their movement) fell flat at the Golapbagh cattle market; we’re waiting to see where they will slip this time.”
Speaking about BNP’s announcement to start anti-government movement, Quader, also road transport and bridges minister, said BNP always makes contradictory statements. It’s better not to answer those. They tell a lie immediately after waking up from sleep. When do they speak the truth? The BNP has destroyed the caretaker government system. There is no such reality to implement the system in Bangladesh. The court realised the truth and has taken appropriate measures. The people of Bangladesh do not want repetition of what happened in 2001 and 2006 by reinstating the caretaker government system.
Quader was also asked about the remarks that Cumilla town Awami League president and an MP, AKM Bahauddin Bahar, made about Sharadiya Durga Puja and the ensuing incidents in the district. He said, “We are aware of the matter. The prime minister has enquired the matter with due concern. The party is also looking into the incident. Organisational action will be taken if anyone has done anything nefarios, anything that goes against the spirit of Awami League.”
Recently, AKM Bahauddin Bahar said, “Dancing after drinking liquor during the puja must be stopped. Let’s start organising drugs-free puja from Cumilla. Write on the mandap (pandal) ‘This is drugs-free puja’.”
Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council issued a statement slamming the statement of the AL leader. The organisation also arranged a protest rally in Cumilla on 14 October.
The leaders and activists of Jubo League and Bangladesh Chhatra League, two front organisations of governing Awami League, reportedly attacked the protest rally. Cases also have been filed
Obaidul Quader stated, “We can’t do better without Hindus during voting but we don’t stand by them when they need us. This is not communal harmony. Those who initiate the incidents are miscreants. I don’t identify them as Hindus or Muslims. They are just miscreants. We can’t say that such miscreants are not there among the Muslims.”
The AL leader also acknowledged that some of their party leaders and activists harm communal harmony. He also mentioned that there was organisational lacking in facing violence in different areas of the country during the Durga Puja in 2021.
The AL general secretary directed the party leaders and activists to remain alert so that no such communal violence takes place this time.
“There is no way to claim that everyone in our party is a good human being. Because, some incidents take place, homes are set on fire, lands are occupied; some people do those with ulterior motives. If communal and religious differences are uttered as abusive words, that’s a very sad affair. We are observing this as a party and making you aware of them. We also have started taking organisational actions to stop repetition of such acts,” Quader emphasised.
AL organising secretary Mirza Azam, SM Kamal Hossain, Sujit Roy Nandi, office secretary Biplab Barua, deputy office secretary Sayem Khan, executive member Nirmal Kumar Chatterjee, Puja Celebration Committee president Jl Bhowmik, general secretary Chandranath Poddar, joint general secretary Santosh Sharma, and office secretary Milan Kanti were, among others, present there.