AL seeks to make allies parliamentary opposition
Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader says it will be a positive development for the government and ruling Awami League's 14-party allies if the partners play the role as a parliamentary opposition.
The policy statement came from the AL leader on Thursday in the wake of main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party's decision not to join parliament at all after it alleged massive rigging in 30 December elections won by the AL.
"Many of the Awami League allies have already decided to stay in the opposition bench in parliament. It's good for us as well as for them," said Quader told newsmen after inspecting preparations for the AL's victory rally to be held at Suhrawardi Udyan on Saturday.
After the one-sided election of 2014, the AL's ally Jatiya Party of HM Ershad that had representation in the cabinet, was made official opposition party in parliament.
However, this time around, the AL's ally Workers Party's president Rashed Khan Menon said there will be no unity with the AL if they go to the opposition.
Menon and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal president Hasanul Haq Inu, who had been in the previous cabinet, were ignored when prime minister Sheikh Hasina formed the government for the third consecutive time.
About Menon's statement, Quader said, "We've been discussing about the matter [of seeing the partners as opposition]."
Quader, also road transport and bridges minister, said the government can learn from criticism from the opposition. "If there is an opposition, the government will be able to rectify itself," he added.
The AL leader, according to UNB, claimed that there is neither any conflict nor tension in the AL-led grand alliance.
"The grand alliance is a unity forged to participate in elections while the 14-party is a political alliance which will prevail and there's no chance of collapse," said the minister.
"There is no infighting, tension and disturbance in the alliance, said the senior AL leader adding, "If there's any misunderstanding, we'll solve it through discussions."