We have no agenda to send political leaders, activists to jail: Obaidul Quader

Awami League general secretary and road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader said the miscreants must be punished for the sake of national and public interests and they have no agenda to send political leaders and activists to jail.

Obaidul Quader made the remarks while talking to the journalists after paying tributes to the national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam by placing wreaths at the poet’s grave near the central mosque of Dhaka University on Saturday marking the 125th birthday of the poet.

He said, “Those who are involved in beating police and Ansar to death in broad daylight, attacking the residence of the chief justice and the police hospital, and torturing journalists are not political leaders and activists; there are miscreants. These miscreants must be punished for the sake of public and national interest”

Replying to a query from journalists, Obaidul Quader said, “We have no agenda to send political leaders and activists to jail, but those who carry out arson and arms trading face cases based on the merit of their crimes, and jailed accordingly.”

Regarding Nazrul Islam, he said, “Poet Nazrul Islam was the source of inspiration during the Bengali movement for freedom led by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. After independence, Bangabandhu brought Nazrul to Bangladesh and we remember him with respect.”