‘Khela hobe’ can’t be a political slogan: Tofail Ahmed

Tofail Ahmed
File photo

‘Khela hobe (the game is on)’ cannot be a political slogan, said veteran leader of ruling Awami League Tofail Ahmed when his party’s general secretary Obaidul Quader has been uttering the slogan for more than a month.

Tofail Ahmed was addressing a discussion organised to celebrate the 84th birth anniversary of Juba League founding chairman Sheikh Mani in front of Awami League’s headquarters at Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital on Saturday.

Recently the slogan has become popular among the politicians from the ruling party and the oppositions.

“Recently we have come up with a slogan, ‘khela hobe’. I think this is not a political slogan, it cannot be. There will be scuffles in politics, and I’ll give my statements from political point of view. But what’s this, khela hobe, khela hobe. My conscience says this slogan should not be given this way.”

The senior AL leader also talked about BNP’s rally in Dhaka, scheduled to be held on 10 December. “BNP is adamant, they have to organise the rally at Naya Paltan. What’s with Paltan? The area fills up with only 10,000-20,000 people. That means they, it seems, want to say that lakhs of people joined (the rally). Just to bluff.”

Reminiscing Sheikh Fajlul Haque Mani, he said Mani bhai used to do what he decided. He could foresee what’s coming ahead.