BNP directly, indirectly involved in Hefazat mayhem: Quader
Road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader on Tuesday said it is now known to all that the BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party) was directly and indirectly involved with the mayhem carried out by Islamist hardliner, Hefazat-e-Islam, during the twin programme celebrating the golden jubilee of independence and Bangabandhu’s birth centenary, reports BSS.
“BNP not only patronised the recent mayhem of Hefazat-e-Islam rather it was involved with the violent acts,” he said while addressing a view-exchange meeting with Rajshahi Zone officials of BRTC (Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation) and BRTA (Bangladesh Road Transport Authority).
Quader, also general secretary of ruling Awami League, joined the meeting virtually from his official residence in Dhaka.
The minister said those who were involved with the mayhem and who carried out attacks on houses, properties and set houses on fire are being arrested after scrutinising video footage and still photos.
Arrest was not made targeting any party or Alem-Olama, he said.
About the BNP leaders’ remarks that the government has become isolated from people, Quader said BNP is making such ridiculous comments to hide the sorrows of their continuous failures in the last 13 years.
Actually not the government, rather the BNP has been boycotted by the people and has become isolated from them, he said.
Mentioning that BNP has been calling for movement throughout a decade, Quader said BNP has not only failed to mobilise any movement but also their disgraceful defeat in national, local government and by-elections proved that they have become isolated from the people.
Quader said making negative political comments and blaming one another during the coronavirus crisis is not sensible. But they have to reply to BNP’s regular falsehood and blind criticism, he mentioned.
The AL leader said the party which has been walking on the undemocratic path since its inception has now turned into a “peddler” of democracy.
BNP’s democracy means voterless election of 15 February, by-election of Magura and Dhaka-10 and making a list of 12.3 million fake voters, he added.
Quader further said prime minister Sheikh Hasina is taking ahead the country on the path of democracy as the government is very sincere to give an institutional shape to democracy overcoming all odds.
“But BNP is a big obstacle on this path. Because of their obstacles, the smooth journey of democracy gets stumbled again and again,” he said.
Turning to the services of BRTA, he asked the concerned authorities to make the institution friendly to service recipients.
Though public sufferings in receiving services from the institution have lessened compared to previous time, there are still allegations in some areas, he said.
Quader asked the concerned authorities to take ahead the ongoing works of different under-construction projects before the monsoon.