BNP to face 'political death' in polls: Quader

Awami League (AL) General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Saturday described BNP's road march as its "funeral procession" and said the party's backward journey began with this programme.

"BNP's mass-uprising has failed. Where is their shouting? Where is their mass-upsurge? Now their funeral procession begins, not road march. They will be defeated in this way in movement and in next elections. They will face their political death in the polls," he said.

Quader was addressing a rally in protest against BNP's "terrorism and anarchy" in front of Amin Market at Ajampur, Uttara in the capital. AL's Dhaka City North unit arranged the rally. Winter clothes were also distributed among cold-hit people in the programme.

AL Presidium Member Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, Bir Bikram, its Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif, Organizing Secretary Mirza Azam, central committee member Sanjida Khanam, Dhaka City North AL General Secretary SM Mannan Kachi, Mohila Awami League President Meher Afroz Chumki and Dhaka-18 constituency lawmaker Habib Hasan addressed the function, among others. Dhaka City North AL President Sheikh Bazlur Rahman chaired it.

The AL general secretary said BNP leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is now making only hollow comments and falsehood. "We have been bound to reply to their comments," he said.

Quader said AL stays on streets and will stay in future too. "We stayed beside the people and now we are standing by them during this winter season with warm clothes. We always stay beside the people during their distress and misery as well as during any disaster, cyclone and flood," he said.

He said AL always stays beside the people whether it wins in polls or not. "If people cast their vote in favour of us, we will be elected. If they don't want us, we will quit. This is the politics of Awami League," he said.

He said AL's root is in very deep in the soil of Bangladesh. "So, there will be no benefit in daydreaming. No one can push away Awami League," he said.

The AL general secretary said BNP's alliance is a hodgepodge and their movement will never be successful.

AL joint general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif said the next general elections will be held as per the constitution.

If BNP has trust in people, they should contest in the elections to test their popularity, he said.

"But BNP will not join elections. Actually, BNP-Jamaat evil force doesn't want election. As they know it very well that the people will never bring them in power," he said.

Noting that AL is a party of the masses, Hanif said AL always stays beside the people in their weal and woe.

The AL government under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been taking ahead the country towards development and progress, he said.