People want to know who will be BNP leader in next elections: Quader

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Thursday said the country's people want to know who will be the leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in the next general elections.

"The people want to know who will be your imam (the leader of BNP) in the next elections," he told a press briefing at his secretariat office here, reports BSS.

Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, came up with the remarks, responding to the statements of BNP leaders that they had made a mistake in 2018 by making Gonoforum President Dr Kamal Hossain as their leader.

About the decision of the BNP and its allies that they will form a national government if they win in the next general polls, he said: "They (BNP leaders) are dreaming again. In the last election, they formed Jatiya Oikya Front. It will be seen whether the national government dreamed by them is a national mockery with the nation or not".

The AL general secretary said at first the BNP should join the polls and if the people want it, the party would win the polls.

"The BNP does not believe in the electoral process rather it (BNP leaders) wants to go to power through conspiracy," he added.

He said the BNP is now getting united with some leaders, who are isolated from people as part of its daydreaming of government formation.

People think that this unity will not put any impact on the field of elections, Quader said.

He said the BNP and its allies are hatching plots to oust Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government in the name of unity and the Awami League is ready to resist their intrigues.

Replying to another remark of the BNP leaders, the AL general secretary said: "Who is the BNP to give chance the AL to stay in power? The country's people only have the power to do so. The people are the source of power and the Almighty Allah is the owner of giving power."

He said the AL assumed power with the people's mandate and how long they want, the AL will remain in power.

Earlier, Democracy International representative Dana L Olds paid a courtesy call on Quader at his secretariat office.