Don’t Incite Anarchy over Modi's Visit: Quader

Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader urged all on Tuesday concerned not to incite any chaos centering Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s forthcoming visit to Bangladesh.

He made the call at a regular press conference on contemporary issues at his official residence on parliament premises.

Quader said a vested quarter is hatching a conspiracy to thwart the Indian premier’s visit marking the birth centenary of Bangabandhu and the golden jubilee of the independence of Bangladesh.

Mentioning that India was the main ally of Bangladesh during the 1971 Liberation War, the minister said Bangladesh invited the head of the government of India, not any particular individual, on the occasion of the twin celebrations.

He said Narendra Modi is an invited guest and his visit has no link with any other issue. About BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s comment that the party started getting organized to defeat the government, the AL general secretary said if BNP becomes politically organized, there is no problem.

But if BNP carries out their evil attempts to create unrest in the name of the movement, the AL, along with the people, will face their evil acts, he said.

“Now Awami League is very much united, strong and well-organized,” he said.

Quader said when BNP was in power, it introduced politicization in administration. On the other hand, the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stopped it and valued merit.

The current administration is very much skilled and efficient, he added.

The minister said the administration is working with efficiency to materialize Vision 2021, Vision 2041, Delta Plan and other long-term visions.

There is no government interference in lower and high courts and that is why the court gave verdicts against many AL leaders and workers and many of them are serving punishment.

As AL believes in an independent judiciary, the party didn’t want to save its own party men in Biswajit, Nusrat, Abrar and Barguna Rifat Sharif murder cases, he said.

He said AL doesn’t want to intervene in the judicial process by any means as it is respectful to the law. But BNP maintains double standards on law and judicial matters, he added.

Referring to the rise in coronavirus infection rate, the minister urged all to maintain health guidelines properly and wear facemasks mandatorily.

He urged the AL’s all organizational units to arrange prayers at mosques, temples, pagodas and churches on every Friday from now till December marking the birth centenary of Bangabandhu and the golden jubilee of independence keeping consistency with the central programs as per the directives of the party president.

Besides, Quader announced the AL’s programs for Genocide Day on March 25.

AL’s Dhaka City North and South Units will arrange a discussion at 11 am at the AL central office at Bangabandhu Avenue on March 25.