BNP will be made understand what public gathering is: Quader

Awami League (AL) General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Friday said the BNP would be made understand from tomorrow what a public gathering is.

He said this while speaking at a press briefing at his official residence here.

Responding to a statement of BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Quader said there is no reason for the government to be shaken seeing the public gatherings at BNP's rallies.

In some rallies, he said, the BNP was not able to gather one lakh people despite targeting 10 lakh and this was the actual scenario of the BNP's rallies.

Even, the AL general secretary said, a huge public gathering was seen at the AL's ward- and thana level conferences in the city, which were reported in media.

He said the AL will play game against those who want to play with the fate of 17 crore people.

Mentioning that the game will be played against Hawa Bhaban, looting, money laundering and corruption, he said the game will be played against those who created 1.25 crore fake voters and the vote thefts.

Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said the game will be played against those who opposed the country's development and those who patronised communal forces and who do not believe in the spirit of the Liberation War.

About the BNP's demand of neutral government during the next general elections, he asked Fakhrul what the standard of neutrality is in his view.

The road transport minister said BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia once stated that none is impartial except the mad and children.

"So, do you want elections under a caretaker government led by madmen or children? The BNP leaders who are blinded by the lust for power can only seek that," he said.

Quader said there is a constitutional body - Election Commission (EC) - in the country and the polls will be held on time under the EC, while the government will only cooperate with the Commission to this end.

Noting that the elections will not be held as per the wish of any particular person or any party, he said the elections will be held in the country the way polls are being held in democratic countries of the world.

Replying to another statement of Fakhrul over the country's foreign reserve, the AL general secretary questioned: "Has the government gulped the reserve money or has it spent the reserve for the development of the country and the welfare of the people through import expenditure?"

"Do you (BNP) remember how much you left in the reserve?" he asked, adding that when BNP quitted power, the country's foreign reserve was less than US$ five billion.

Quader said from that position, the foreign reserve increased to US$ 48 billion during the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government.

Due to ongoing global crisis, the reserve came down to US$ 36 billion from US$ 48 billion, he said, adding the whole world, including Bangladesh, has been facing this crisis.

"The reserve during the BNP's era was zero. Now how do they (BNP leaders) talk about reserve? The government will be able to import for the next 5 to 6 months with the current reserves," the AL general secretary said.

About Fakhrul's advice to transport owners and workers over the transport strikes, he said hundreds of vehicles were vandalised, patrol bombs were thrown on cars and transport workers and earnings of transport workers were stopped forcibly by the BNP.

Quader said the BNP men had made transport owners' and workers' families destitute and they did not forget the BNP's arson attacks and terrorism.