Younger brother asks Obaidul Quader to beware

Ruling Awami League general secretary and road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader was asked by his younger brother and fellow party leader Abdul Quader Mirza to beware.

“I am unhappy with him. He will need us to win (the election) in this constituency. He must beware of us if he wants to win in the next election. It is not so simple, it is tough. He has to manage his wife, inquire about his supporters and find out from whom they extort toll every month,” Abdul Quader Mirza said, referring to his elder brother Obaidul Quader.

Quader Mirza was addressing an election rally at Ward No. 9 in Basurhat municipality of Companiganj upazila today (Sunday). The elections to Basurhat municipality are set to be held on 16 January.

He said, “A woman identifying herself as a Jubo Mahila League person abused me in obscene language over the mobile phone. I informed the administration about this but they did not take any action. That means this woman is very powerful, otherwise why didn’t they take any action?”

While announcing his election manifesto on Thursday, the AL candidate in the Basurhat municipality polls, Abdul Quader Mirza said, “Obaidul Quader is not with me. The central Awami League is also not with me. Noakhali and Feni units of Awami League have sent arms against me. DC, SP and election officials are not with me either. Will you stay with me? If you do, I’ll tell the truth.”

Expressing his grievances, the AL leader said, “I have been involved with this party for the last 47 years. You, Hanif saheb (Mahbub Ul Hanif), have said I lack a sense of responsibility. You are a 'responsible person', a 'gentleman', a 'leader' of our party. What responsibility did you show when the sculpture of Bangabandhu was vandalised in your Kushtia?”

Referring to his sickness again, the mayoral candidate said, "I found out had two tumours when I went to the US for treatment. While I was there in a room for 24 days, it suddenly struck me that something must be done! That’s why when I returned, I announced at the airport that I will simply tell the truth and protest against misdeeds. I have taken this election as a means of protest against injustice. This is the truth. The election is not the main issue to me. Things cannot be allowed to continue this way.”

Regarding his brother, Quader Mirza said, “I have a weakness. Obaidul Quader is sick. If I hear he may die, I become weak. But he has to realise, he is a national leader, two times the general secretary of Awami League. I’ll protest against the corrupt politics in Noakhali, in Feni. I will protest against corruption, discrepancies in gas connections. When I protest, they call me insane.”