Ruling Awami League (AL) general secretary and road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader on Saturday called upon opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to join the next parliamentary elections (12th).
He also said the polls will be free and fair, reports news agency BSS.
“Eventually you (BNP) will join the elections. You will have to join polls for your existence. Take preparations for the next general elections. Let us contest the polls. Elections will be free and fair. None will interfere in the polls,” he said.
Quader was talking to newspersons after the new central committee of Awami League, led by party president and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, paid homage to Bangladesh’s founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by placing wreath at his mausoleum at Tungipara in Gopalganj.
He said, “BNP is resorting to chaos in the name of movement and people are suffering for that. The minister called upon BNP not to create any more crises in the coming days.”
This year is a year of challenges. We may have to face tougher challenges in future. We held our 22nd national council to face the challenges. Awami League remains prepared to face any kind of challenge
The minister said BNP is waging movement for restoration of caretaker government but it is a dead issue.
There is no caretaker government system in any country in the world except Pakistan, he added.
“We don’t want this kind of abnormal and unconstitutional government. The people of Bangladesh don’t want this,” he said.
Parliamentary elections will be held in the country as like as in other democratic countries, the AL general secretary insisted.
The government will not interfere rather it will only discharge routine duty, he said.
“This year is a year of challenges. We may have to face tougher challenges in future. We held our 22nd national council to face the challenges. Awami League remains prepared to face any kind of challenge,” he said.
Mentioning development works of the government, he said Padma Bridge has been inaugurated, metro-rail operations began partially, 100 bridges were opened in a single day and 100 roads were inaugurated. More works will be done in future too, he added.
“We will continue our strides to build a Sonar Bangla under the leadership of Bangabandhu’s daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,” he said.