Time comes for BNP to say goodbye to politics: Quader

Obaidul Quader, the secretary general of Awami League (AL) on Wednesday said it is time for Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to quit politics due to its continuous negative attitude to politics and elections.

"The BNP's failure plunged Bangladesh into extreme uncertainty and distress. They (BNP leaders) failed in running the government and set an instance of showing extreme irresponsibility as an opposition party," he said in a statement, reports BSS.

Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said now time has come for BNP, not for the AL government, to leave politics due to its negative politics and negligence to elections.

"We want to say firmly that there is no scope of changing the incumbent government without polls," he said.

The AL general secretary said the source of AL's power is the country's people and the owner of power is the almighty Allah.

He said the people never believe the statements of a political party like the BNP, which is isolated from the public.

For the past 14 years, Quader said, the BNP leaders have been continuously calling for movements but the people did not respond to their call yet.

He said the people did not forget the plights and misrules they experienced during the BNP's era in the past.

The AL general secretary said BNP and its allies are holding meetings and rallies every day but they are alleging that they are not being allowed to do so and being deprived of their political rights.

"In fact, it is the common practice of the BNP to blame the government aiming to hide its failures and misdeeds," he said.

The nature of the BNP's undemocratic politics, hidden in packet of falsehood, is now clear to the people, Quader said.

During the reign of the BNP, he said, the country was turned into a state of lawlessness and religious extremism, extreme communalism and militancy had emerged.

The minister said the farmers were shot dead for staging demonstrations demanding fertilisers and electricity, and the people suffered a lot due to skyrocketing commodity prices.

Recalling that the BNP set the worst example of minority persecution, he said once again they (BNP) want to plunge the country into anarchy.

"But the people know the BNP as a thief in guise and that's why they will never give it such opportunity again," Quader said.

He said the people of Bangladesh have trust in Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as she was able to address all the crises and challenges the Banglee nation witnessed in the last four decades.

All the dreams of the country's people have been implemented under her leadership, he added.

The AL general secretary said all the great achievements of this country and success in overcoming crises have been achieved under the AL leadership.

So, he said, the people's hopes and aspirations rotate centering Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League.