DHAKA, July 19, 2023 (BSS) - Awami League (AL) General Secretary Obaidul Quader today said the US has no headache over the BNP's demand for a caretaker government to hold the next parliamentary elections.

"The US said they have no headache over caretaker government. They said elections should be held as per the constitution," he told a brief rally at Satrasta in the city's Tejgaon prior to a peace and development procession.

Dhaka City North AL arranged the rally protesting terrorism and anarchy of BNP. 

Quader, also road transport and bridges minister, said BNP leaders had expectations that their desires would be fulfilled when representatives of the US and the European Union would come.

But their joy turned pale hearing comments of the foreign representatives as their desires were not fulfilled, he said.
Pointing to BNP leaders, Quader urged them to join elections shunning the movement.

"We unequivocally ask BNP to join the polls before they will lose their respect. If they don't join polls, then it will be their own issue. If they try to obstruct the polls, we along with the people will resist them," he said.

Noting that BNP sometimes forges alliance with 54 parties, sometimes with 36 parties and declared 27-point and again one-point movement, the minister said actually BNP's alliance is fake.

"The people don't want BNP's politics. BNP's jealousy is increasing gradually. Hundred bridges were inaugurated in a single day. More bridges will be opened in next month. Padma Bridge and metro-rail have been inaugurated. Bangabandhu tunnel beneath the Karnaphuli river will be opened". 

"How will BNP obstruct these developments? So, BNP is spending sleepless nights," he said.

Quader said BNP didn't make any development during their government's regime. Witnessing the massive development works of the AL government, BNP has sensed what will be the results of the elections, he said.

"They are unhappy as they will lose the polls. That is why they carried out attacks on students in Bogura and Khagrachhari. They hurled crude bombs," he said.

Urging party men to keep patience, the AL general secretary said now BNP will try to engage in chaos intentionally.

As long as the country's peace will prevail, votes of AL will increase, he said.

"The strength of people is on one side and the mayhem and terrorism are on the other side," he said.

AL Joint General Secretaries Mahbubul Alam Hanif and AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, AL Organising Secretary Afjal Hossain, Office Secretary Barrister Biplab Barua and Jubo League General Secretary Mainul Hossain Khan Nikhil addressed the rally, among others.

Dhaka City North AL President Sheikh Bazlur Rahman chaired the rally which was moderated by its General Secretary SM Mannan Kachi.

Mahbubul Alam Hanif said AL is a party which led the country's Liberation War and achieved independence for the nation.

"So, don't threat Awami League. You (BNP) will fall in trouble. You won't get path to flee. We will give you a lesson as like as we did in the past," he said.

Actually, BNP doesn't believe in elections so they are waging such movement to thwart the polls, he said.

Their target is to unleash violence, terrorist acts, chaos, vandalism and sabotage to create unrest in the country, he mentioned.

Hanif urged BNP to join polls shunning these terrorist acts. "Join polls and prove whether people are with you. Don't try to be tools of foreigners," he said.

Bahauddin Nasim said BNP along with anti-liberation and anti-state forces took to streets to obstruct the country's development spree.

They want to frustrate the polls and destroy democratic atmosphere, he mentioned.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal urged the party leaders and workers not to engage themselves in chaos at anyone's instigation.

"BNP want to grasp the state power without polls. That is why they took to the street. Bangladesh won't go back towards darkness any more. We witnessed dark Bangladesh in 2001. The country was turned into a safe haven of terrorism. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has brought the nation on the path of light from the darkness," he said.