BNP's anarchy to be dealt with strong hand: Quader
Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader on Thursday warned that if the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) resorts to any violence and arson terrorism in the name of movement, it will be handled with strong hand on the streets.
"If the BNP, as an opposition party, calls a peaceful movement, why will the government halt it?" he questioned while speaking at an emergency meeting at the AL Bangabandhu Avenue central office in the capital.
The meeting was arranged on observance of the AL programmes announced marking the mourning month of August.
Addressing the meeting, Quader said if the BNP adds the elements of violence to its programmes and carries out arson terrorism, the government will not sit idle.
He said their anarchy will be dealt with strong hand on the streets.
Capitalising on the persisting global crisis, plots continue to oust the government, the AL general secretary said, adding that many people think the AL has forgotten the way how to handle a movement on the streets and it is not at all.
"You will see us on the streets soon. When the AL comes to the field, the movement will be disappeared," he said.
Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said the entire world is passing a volatile time and Bangladesh is also going through a tough time.
"Bangladesh is not an isolated island. The negative impact of the Russia-Ukraine war is hitting us," he said.
The minister said prime minister Sheikh Hasina's government has been lauded around the world for keeping the country's economy smooth by taking a balanced stance against coronavirus pandemic.
"But, today conspiracy continues to overthrow the government," he added. Quader said the prime minister stated that if the fuel price dwindles in international market, its price will be adjusted in the country too.
Despite that, he said, the BNP and its allies are making poisonous statements against the government over the fuel price hike issue.
Quader announced the AL's programme across the country, protesting the series of bomb attacks on 17 August 2005.
He said after holding a rally at the Institute of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) auditorium in the afternoon in the capital on 17 August, the protest procession will be brought out from Bangabandhu Avenue.
This programme will be held at district, upazila and union levels too, the AL general secretary said.
AL presidium members Kazi Zafrullah, lawyer Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Abdur Rahman, its joint general secretaries Mahbubul Alam Hanif and AFM Bahauddin Nashim, organising secretary Afzal Hossain, SM Kamal Hossain and Mirza Azam, relief and social welfare secretary Sujit Roy Nandi, agriculture and cooperatives affairs secretary Faridunnahar Laili, health and population affairs secretary Rokeya Sultana, office secretary Biplab Barua, deputy publicity secretary Aminul Islam Amin, deputy office secretary Sayem Khan, Dhaka North City AL president Sheikh Bazlur Rahman, Dhaka South City AL president Abu Ahmed Mannafi and Jubo League president Sheikh Fazle Shams Paras, among others, were present at the meeting.