No leeway for BNP in December: Obaidul Quader

Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader addresses a ‘peace rally’ organised by Dhaka north city unit AL in Badda, Dhaka on 5 November 2022.
Prothom Alo

Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader said BNP would not be given any leeway in next December.

Addressing a ‘peace rally’ organised by Dhaka north city unit AL in Badda on Saturday, Quader said, “We are now giving you leeway but we would not in December. We would play the final match with you in December.”

BNP organised its divisional rally in Barishal today. AL’s Cumilla city unit council was held in the morning. Quader addressed the rally there. Later he attended the rally in Dhaka in the afternoon.

AL sources said the party has decided to demonstrate their organizational strength at the day of BNP’s major events. One of the main goals of such strategy is to ensure that BNP’s rallies do not get unilateral coverage in media.

He said the BNP would not be able to take control of the streets in the month of liberation war (December).

Quader said BNP is daydreaming of toppling the government by a Khomeini-style revolution in the month of December but they would be washed away in the face of people’s power.

“Forget if you are dreaming of going to power without taking part in election. You must join election,” he said urging BNP not to dream of a caretaker government since the system is repealed by the apex court.

“Caretaker government would not be reintroduced. It has gone to the museum,” Quader added.

Maintaining that AL will play final game with BNP in December, Quader said, “Game is on against vote thieves, corruption, loot and misrule. The game is on against the killers, killers of 15 August. The game is on against BNP which is the mastermind of 21 August grenade attack.”

Recently, Obaidul Quader repeatedly said, “Game will be on.” He had said this at parliament and party rallies. BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also said game will be on during the election after the government resigns.

Obaidul Qauder claimd people flooded to the peace rally in Dhaka saying, “Coming here, I am thinking about Barishal.”

He claimed BNP hired people for its rally, “Fakharul Shaheb hired people from six districts and started gathering them in Barishal several days before the rally. There are people from six upazilas here and they are double than the people participating in Barishal.”

Traffic movement had stopped on both sides of Rampura-Kuril road since 2:00pm die to the Awami League peace rally.

A makeshift stage was set up on trucks on main road in Moddho Badda, with party leaders and activists taking position on streets in Merul Badda, Moddho Badda, Uttar Badda and Shahjadpur.

About the gathering, the Awami League leader said he sees people as long his sight goes. “Bangladesh Complain Party lodges complaint to foreigners. The foreigners live in this area and let them see who is more powerful.”

To media, Obaidul Qader said, “I don’t want extra media coverage and I want due coverage. Today’s rally is of six upazilas and there are more people than that of six districts.”