BNP fails to find new issue in KNF: Obaidul Quader
The armed activities of Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) is a sporadic incident, while the government has taken a cautious and rigid stance to this end, said Awami League (AL) General Secretary Obaidul Quader Sunday.
“Kuki-Chin will not be able to create unrest in the whole region of the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The government has taken a strong stance. This is an isolated incident. Overall peace in the hills will not be disturbed,” he said.
Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, made the remarks while speaking at a press conference at the AL president’s Dhanmondi political office in the capital.
He said the home minister has visited the CHT area and a joint operation is going on there.
Quader also slammed key opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) from his conference.
“BNP is looking for issues to conceal its failure. After failing in the Myanmar issue, now BNP is capitalising on the Kuki-Chin issue. This is an isolated incident. This will not impact the overall peace situation in the hills. So finding a new issue about it, BNP will fail too,” the AL general secretary said.
Claiming that BNP does not have the capacity to wage a movement, he said the BNP has lost all its energy as its leaders and activities are disappointed with the leadership of the party.
“They are disappointed in Tarique Rahman (BNP acting chairman). Their leader is not in the country, so how will a movement be waged with a remote control? Is it possible? If you want to wage a movement, you have to take to the streets. People will not respond to the call of remote control,” he said.
Blaming BNP for the existing condition of BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, Quader said BNP failed in the movement and Begum Zia’s legal battle too. Otherwise the issue would have been settled a long time ago.
Speaking about the upcoming upazila parishad elections, the AL general secretary said the candidatures to the polls have been opened. This means that anyone can contest the elections in an open environment.
Lawmakers and ministers will not interfere in the elections and the administration will remain neutral, Quader said.
He, however, warned that organisational measures will be taken against the people if anyone violates the party instructions after the finalisation of the candidature.
AL Organising Secretaries BM Mozammel Haque, Mirza Azam and Sujit Roy Nandi, Office Secretary Barrister Biplab Barua and Deputy Office Secretary Sayem Khan were, among others, present at the press conference.