Road Transport and Bridge Minister Obaidul Quader on Monday made it clear that no one is being called for any discussion ahead of the next parliamentary election and there will be no compromise on the question of constitution, i.e. the election-time government.  “We do everything in public. Democracy doesn’t discuss in the backdoor. Discussion will be in public, if any. But I am still not seeing any such opportunity,” Quader said, while answering a question about any possibility of dialogue with the BNP to bring them to the polls. The senior cabinet member, also general secretary of the ruling Awami League, was speaking with media personnel in the conference room of his ministry. Mentioning that the election "will be held here like other democratic countries", Quader said: “Nothing has happened in Bangladesh that we have to amend our constitution. There will be no compromise over the constitution.” Responding to a question about BNP’s movement, Quader said that his government doesn’t see the movement as a challenge. “No movement is possible without people’s participation. It is clear that the party has failed to draw as many people as they hoped. We are not seeing their movement as a challenge. We will face their political movement politically.”  

Road Transport and Bridges minister and General Secretary of Awami League Obaidul Quader is going to Singapore for regular health checkup. He was scheduled to leave Dhaka around 8:30 am today , reads a press release of the ministry. Also Read: Obaidul Quader wants Bangla among official UN languages He will return to the country on March 3, according to Sheikh Walid Foyez, information officer of the ministry.  

Awami League Advisory Council member Md Shahabuddin Chuppu is set to become the next President of Bangladesh as the ruling party on Sunday nominated him as the party's presidential candidate. An Awami League team, led by the party’s general secretary Obaidul Quader, submitted the nomination paper to the Election Commission. “There is no reaction now.  This is Almighty Allah’s will,” Shahabuddin told reporters after submission of the nomination paper at the Election Commission. Shahabuddin, a retired district and sessions judge, served as a commissioner at the Anti-Corruption Commission. “Two applications have been submitted to the office of the Chief Election Commissioner and Presidential Election Officer at 11:00am and 11:05am for the same person. These two applications will be scrutinized tomorrow (Monday) at 1pm. The chief election officer will inform you tomorrow after scrutinizing the nomination papers,”said Election Commission Secretary Jahangir Alam.

The feasibility study on Chattogram metro rail began on Tuesday. Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader joined the inauguration programme of the feasibility study virtually. Addressing the event, Quader said,“Today is a historic day for Chattogram as we have started the feasibility study of the metro rail.” Read more: KOICA to render pre-survey on introducing metro rail in Chattogram The study will be conducted at an estimated cost of TK 70 crore. Korea International Cooperation Agency (Koica) will provide TK 50 crore, while the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges will provide the rest. The feasibility study is scheduled to be completed by March 2025. Read more: Govt to start feasibility study on Metrorail in Chattogram: Quader Tasks of the feasibility study include an integrated plan on transport in the city, reviewing and updating  theongoing and completed projects, conducting transport survey, assessment and evaluation of future traffic demand, economic evaluation of projects, pre-feasibility study of Mass Rapid Transit Network Proposal, planning public transport system, traffic safety, etc.

Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader on Sunday said the party’s leaders will never run away from the country in any hostile situation. “BNP now asks the government to run away. They (BNP leaders) said the government will not find any escape route,” he said. “This is ridiculous.” He was addressing at a huge public meeting organized by the Rajshahi district and metropolitan Awami League at historic Rajshahi Madrasa ground with Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as the chief guest. Also read: PM inaugurates 26 dev projects worth Tk 1,333 cr in Rajshahi “I will not run away, If necessary, I will go to Mr. Fakhrul's house.  Will you not give us shelter? If not, he has a house Thakurgaon and we will go to that house,” he said amid laughter and cheers from the audience. Quader said the BNP leaders have a history of fleeing from the country to save their skin from public wrath.   “Before fleeing to London Tariq Rahman signed a bond that he will not do politics again,” the AL leader said adding that the convicted fugitive is now the leader of the opposition BNP. Obaidul Quader said that he was born in this country and will die in this country.  BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday called upon the government to quit power immediately to avert a shocking ouster. The BNP leader also said they want to send out a message to the government through the fresh programme and that is to step down immediately and hand over power to a caretaker government and allow the people to exercise their right to vote under a new Election Commission.  

Road Transport and Bridge Minister Obaidul Quader  has said the government  will not undertake any new road construction projects until the next national election and maintenance of the existing roads will get priority. “We have completed numerous development projects, now is the time to restore discipline on roads,” he told reporters after his meeting with the DCs at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital on Wednesday, the 2nd day of the 3-day DC Conference.  Deputy commissioners (DCs) have been instructed to prioritize work to restore order on the roads,  said the minister.  “I told them I don’t want to construct more roads right now. Our main priority right now is road maintenance,” Quader, also the Awami League general secretary,  said. The minister said he instructed the DCs to focus on controlling movement of small vehicles like motorcycles on roads and highways. Also read: Must maintain good relations with India: Obaidul Quader Motorcycle movement in Dhaka city is under control now but people rarely wear helmets outside the capital, he said.  Quader asked that the secretaries to formulate  policy to regulate the movement of these vehicles instead of obstructing the sources of income of the poor. "It is DC's responsibility to control traffic jams and accidents involving these small vehicles," he added. "I am prioritizing restoring order in road transport," he said adding that small vehicles like motorcycles, easybikes, Nosimons, and Karimons should be brought under control. “We have built many roads and bridges. But if we cannot restore discipline, it will be all in vain. I asked for their cooperation in this regard,” he said.   

Awami League General Secretary and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader alleged that opposition BNP is preparing for major attacks and sabotage across the country. "Militancy in the country seems inactive but BNP is active in disguise. Detectives have such information," he said. He said this during an exchange of views with reporters after a meeting at Setu Bhaban in the capital on Thursday. Read more: AL to stay on streets to prevent BNP’s anarchy: Quader  Quader said that BNP does not need to rescue democracy again as democracy has been freed long ago under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. He said that BNP should be banned for lying and conspiracy, not Awami League. The AL leader said his party will remain on the streets to protect people's lives and property and continue their mass campaign and peace rally until election. He said that Awami League does not call counter-programme as his party has no desire to clash with BNP. Read more: If BNP comes to power 1971 spirit will vanish: Quader BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday urged Awami League to refrain from holding counter programmes on the days of BNP and other opposition parties’ programmes. “Please do not hold any counter programmes and obstruct those. Awami League and the government have to take the responsibility if any untoward situation is created for this reason,” the BNP leader said. Before this, the board meeting of Bangladesh Bridge Authority was held at Setu Bhaban. In the meeting, it was decided to exempt toll only to the President on all bridges including Padma Bridge.

Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader on Wednesday said that if BNP gets power again, there will be no spirit of Liberation War in the country.  "We cannot hand over power to BNP, which is the patron of communal forces and militancy," he said. He made the remarks while joining a discussion meeting organised in the city by Dhaka Metropolitan South Awami League unit to commemorate the ‘Homecoming Day’ of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman after Bangladesh gained victory over Pakistan in 1971. Bangabandhu returned to Dhaka via London and New Delhi on January 10 in 1972 after being freed from jail in Pakistan. Read more: Must maintain good relations with India: Obaidul Quader Quader said that another name for Bangladesh is Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Bangabandhu will remain as long as this land exists, he added. Pointing to BNP's mass sit-in programme on Wednesday, he bitterly criticised the opposition party and said 54 parties have joined hands against Sheikh Hasina. “(But) What will the 54 parties do? They can’t do anything,” he said.   Criticising local media, Quader said he could not stay at home even for 50 days during the BNP regime. “(Now) Two BNP leaders had been in jail for 26 days. Some media outlets are writing in a way as if they had been in jail for 26 thousand years,” he said. Read more: Awami League ready to quash domestic, foreign conspiracies: Quader Quader said there will be a game “against corruption, looting and misrule” of BNP. He said that Hasina has “repaired what the BNP had destroyed while in power.” "Sheikh Hasina inaugurated hundreds of bridges and hundreds of roads in one day. Sheikh Hasina can, only Sheikh Hasina can. Let us strengthen her hands," he said. Dhaka Metropolitan South Awami League General Secretary Humayun Kabir presided over the meeting.

Bangladesh Awami League's General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Sunday (January 08, 2023) urged the party leaders and activists to get prepared for the next national election, noting that the final game will be held in January next year. “The final game will be held in January next year,” he said. He made the remarks while addressing the Jatiya Party (JP) tri-annual council at the Engineers’ Institute auditorium in the capital on Sunday afternoon. Also Read: We don't need leaders, want smart workers: Obaidul Quader tells BCL Mentioning his slogan ‘Game will be played’ as a kind of political humor, he said, “There  will be game against corruption, drugs, conspiracy, communalism, militancy, and for the sake of protecting democracy.” He urged the party leaders and activists to get prepared for the next election and said “Good people are not in politics these days. We have failed to make politics appealing.” Stating that the reputation of student politics has gone, he said, “Politics will become characterless without the participation of good, honest, and bright individuals.” Read More: BNP to get fitting response if it resorts to violence: Quader Noting that democracy is crucial to saving Bangladesh, the Al leader also said that there is no alternative to Sheikh Hasina for continuing the country's development spree.

General Secretary of Awami League and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today said a fitting response will be given to BNP if it tries to instigate and resort to violence in the name of “political movement”. He made the remark while addressing the 30th conference of Road and Transport Engineers’ Association in Dhaka’s Tejgaon area as the chief guest. Describing various achievements of the AL-government over the past 14 years, Quader said that smart road networks have to be developed to turn Bangladesh into a “smart” country. Read more: Quader to BNP: Ditch caretaker dream, prepare for election He said that the regulations of the Road Transport Act were published in a gazette and are being enforced. Urging government employees to not go for unnecessary foreign trips, he said some officials go abroad on several excuses. With the Road and Transport Engineers’ Association President Syed Moinul Hasan in the chair, AL’s Science and Technology Affairs Secretary Engineer Abdus Sabur, Chief Engineer of Road and Transport department Md Ishak and the association’s general secretary Engineer Amit Kumar Chakrabarty, among others, spoke at the programme.  Read more: Quader urges BNP not to create chaos on December 24