Quader
BNP passing hard times: Quader
Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader said on Monday that it's BNP that is going through bad times, not the country.
“Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is trying to scare the people of the country by talking about bad times. In fact, there are no bad times in the country; bad times are going on in BNP politics,” he said.
The road transport and bridges minister made the remarks in reply to the BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul's recent comments that a suffocating situation has been prevailing in the country due to repression and misrule of the current government.
“Over 600 of our leaders and workers have been made to disappear and over a thousand others killed. Our 35 lakh leaders and activists have been implicated in false cases,” Fakhrul alleged.
Also read: BNP urges ACC to probe ruling party’s alleged corruption
Responding to the allegation Quader said BNP leaders and activists are now aimless travellors. They now want to get rid of the failed leadership of the top leaders of the BNP. People want to forget the misrule of the BNP era.
“As a result, the people have repeatedly chosen the Awami League and as always, the people will choose the Awami League in the next election. Realizing that, the BNP is now suffering,’ he also said.
In the statement, Quader said BNP leaders have repeatedly said that a fair election is not possible without a caretaker government. There is no point in raising an issue that has been settled by the country's highest court.
Also read: No need to appease any one to stay in power: Quader
He emphasized that the election will be held under a neutral election commission. The government will only cooperate with it.
“So I will tell the BNP if you believe in the election, if you have confidence in the people, then avoid the path of conspiracy and prepare for the next election. Hopefully, good sense of the BNP will prevail,” he said.
Comparing BD's economy with Sri Lanka part of a conspiracy: Quader
Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader has said comparing Bangladesh's economy with Sri Lanka is part of a conspiracy and intentional propaganda.
“Those who say that Bangladesh will be Sri Lanka are either knowingly or intentionally spreading propaganda. Our capital account is not open, so no one can send dollars abroad if they want to like Sri Lanka. If you want to send money abroad for any education or medical work, you have to open an account and send it,” he said.
Read: No need to appease any one to stay in power: Quader
He made the remarks while delivering his speech as the chief guest at an introductory meeting with the new unit-level leaders of the Dhaka North Awami League.
The programme was organised at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the morning.
“Many people talk about megaprojects. Padma Bridge is not dependent on foreign loans. Sheikh Hasina is building Padma Bridge with our money, there is no foreign debt. There is no such mega project with any foreign loan. Bangabandhu's daughter has proved to the whole world what Bangladesh can do,” he said.
He further said that our Padma Bridge is being implemented with own funds. Most of Sri Lanka's loans have to be repaid in a short period of time on difficult terms at higher interest rates while most of our debts have to be repaid in the long run.
“After the propaganda against Padma Bridge, Karnaphuli Tunnel, and Metrorail project, now they are spreading that Bangladesh will be Sri Lanka. After overcoming the corona crisis, the economy of Bangladesh is at a balanced level at the grassroots. There was no crisis in Bangladesh as in Sri Lanka,” he emphasized.
He told the propagandists that there is no benefit in spreading propaganda as Bangladesh will never be Sri Lanka.
Quader said the work on Bangabandhu Tunnel, Padma Bridge, Metro Rail, and Karnaphuli River is almost completed. There has been a lot of propaganda about these but the progress could not be stopped by propaganda.
Saying that commodity prices had risen before Ramadan but now it has come to a tolerable level, he said Bangladesh has never been in default since independence. Sri Lanka's debt ratio is 61 percent while Bangladesh's debt ratio is 14 percent.
Read: GM Quader urges govt to avoid Sri Lanka-like trouble
“Overcoming the Corona crisis, our export earnings are set to surpass the record this year as our currency is still stable against the dollar. Sri Lanka's foreign currency reserves are only 2 billion while our reserves are 45 billion. By lending money to Sri Lanka, Sheikh Hasina has shown the potential of Bangladesh,” he added.
Leaders from 26 thanas, 64 wards and one union Awami League joined a total of 1600 Presidents and General Secretaries at the historical meeting, the organiser informed.
Organisers also said that the units were finalised through the council in every area of the North Awami League territory to strengthen the root level for the very first time.
General Secretary of Dhaka North Awami League unit SM Mannan Kochi conducted the programme while its President Bazlur Rahman presided over the meeting.
BNP sold out the War of Liberation sharing power with anti-independence forces: Quader
Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Monday said BNP has betrayed the spirit of Liberation War by sharing power with the forces who opposed it in 1971.
Quader said this during a briefing at his office in the Secretariat this morning.
Pointing recent evidence of BNP’s anti-state propaganda by appointing lobbyists in the US, the AL leader said that the opposition party is trying to undermine the nation’s achievements and its image.
Also read: Joy shares video on BNP-Jamaat's "anti-Bangladesh activities"
He said Awami League has been doing politics of land and people since its birth. The party has been associated with every achievement of this country.
Quader, also the roads and bridges minister, said BNP is jealous of the nation’s strides towards development and that’s why it disputes the achievements of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. They want to make electoral system of the country controversial, he said.
Also read: BNP fears about its political future: Hasan
Quader warns stern action against charging higher transport fare
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Tuesday said strict legal action will be taken if bus operators are found forcing the passengers to pay higher fare than that has been re-fixed by the government. "I am urging the leaders of the owners and workers' federation not to collect more than the re-fixed rate and refrain from harassing the passengers. Otherwise, strict legal action will be taken against those responsible for it," he said.
READ: PM monitoring situation over fuel price hike: Quader
The minister said this call at a briefing at his Secretariat office amid allegations of charging higher bus fares by transport operators in breach of their commitment to the government. Quader also said that the government has re-fixed the fares of diesel-powered passenger transports only after a hike in the prices of diesel and kerosene.
READ: Quader blasts BNP for creating religious division in Bangladesh
He said that BRTA's mobile courts have been deployed in different parts of Dhaka metropolis to act against collection of extra fare. He called upon all concerned police and officials concerned to ensure that passengers are not harassed. Quader said that certain media outlets’ harsh criticism of the fuel hike has been unexpected, even though some others are playing a responsible role. Fuel price was routinely raised during the BNP's rule and the people did not forget it, he said. Obaidul Quader further said BNP increased the price even when it was low in the international market. The Awami League has increased prices 5 times in the last 13 years but has also reduced prices 5 times. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reduced the price of fuel oil in 2009 within seven days of taking office.
He claimed that the people of the country are moving forward.
Quader blasts BNP for creating religious division in Bangladesh
Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Wednesday said that those who use religion for political gain want to create division among religious communities.
He made the remarks while speaking at a briefing at his residence this morning.
"Those who could not accept the independence of this country, development and prosperity, they want to divide the nation, weaken it and tarnish the image of the country. BNP and its allies want to create this dividing line," he said.
Describing BNP as politically communal organization Quader said BNP leaders have turned lies into an art by claiming that the government is involved in communal attacks.
Read: Stay alert against communal forces, says Quader
Referring to the BNP as an enemy of the minorities, he further said that they thought that attacking the puja mandaps would increase the distrust of the Hindu community in the government and destroy Bangladesh's existing friendship with India.
The AL leader said the BNP carried out the propaganda that mosques will turn into temples in the past as well.
Quader said BNP’s atrocities against minorities surpassed even the attacks in 1971 after it came to power in 2001. He said that BNP has not been able to quit communal politics yet.
Read: No tolerance for communal attacks: Quader
Referring to the observance of Eid-e- Miladunnabi being observed on Wednesday Quader said that the day is sacred and glorious for the Muslim Ummah.
He urged Muslims of the country to follow the ideals of Prophet Muhammad ( PBUH).
Quader also greeted the members of the Buddhist community on behalf of the Awami League on Prabarana Purnima, being celebrated on Wednesday.
Govt. mulls tunnel under Padma River between Daulatdia and Paturia: Quader
The government plans to build a tunnel under Padma River _ instead of a bridge _between Daulatdia and Paturia for the sake of the river’s navigability, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said on Friday.
His statement came amid speculations that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government, basking in the successful construction of Padma Bridge, will build a second one over the river.
The country’s first-ever underwater expressway, Bangabandhu Tunnel, is being built under Karnaphuli River in Chattogram.
READ: Padma Bridge to open before June next year: Quader
Quader, also the General Secretary of Awami League, was speaking at a seminar organized by the party’s sub-committee on science and technology at the city’s Institute of Engineers Bangladesh- IEB.
He said mere building of good roads is not good enough. These must be maintained properly.
Turning to politics he once again criticised opposition BNP for its lack of any political direction. He said that BNP’s Vision-2030 announced before the last election has now been kept in a cold storage.
He said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has visions for 2021, 2041 and 2100 and she will do whatever is needed to achieve these visions, he said.
READ: Don’t resort to arson again in name of movement, Quader warns BNP
The seminar was presided over by the chairman of the sub-Committee Prof. Dr. Md. Hossain Mansur.
Quader says ACC is welcome to probe his ministry for corruption
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader has urged the Anti-Corruption Commission to conduct graft investigation in his ministry assuring that the government will not obstruct it.
Quader said this during a virtual meeting with the officials of BRTC on Monday,
“I am calling for investigating the ministry of road transport and bridges by the Anti-Corruption Commission. There will be no obstruction from the government. If there is any corruption, take action,” he said.
Also read: Govt working to constitute EC as per constitution: Quader
Underling the importance keeping service organisations like BRTC corruption-free, the minister said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government has adopted a zero tolerance policy against corruption.
He said past non-Awami League government turned BRTC into a den of corruption. The greedy people must be checked to make the institutions free of corruption, he said.
Also read: President Hamid urges ACC to go hard after the corrupt people
Quader condemns BNP’s protests against PM’s visit in New York
Denouncing BNP’s street protest against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s UNGA visit in New York the Awami League general secretary on Sunday accused the opposition party of damaging the country’s image abroad. “BNP is not only creating chaos in the country, it is also conspiring to tarnish the nation’s image abroad,” said AL leader Obaidul Quader at a briefing at his residence this morning referring to BNP’s demonstration ahead PM’s arrival in New York. Condemning the BNP's deep-rooted conspiracy, Quader also said that the prime minister did not go on a visit abroad in the last 19 months due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The PM decided to attend the important 76th UN General Assembly in person considering national interest, he said. “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina did not want to miss the opportunity to speak on behalf of the people of Bangladesh in the UN forum on various issues including Corona, climate change, and the Rohingya crisis,” said Quader. He said "We are surprised to observe that BNP has started protesting before the arrival of Sheikh Hasina in New York.”
READ: Govt working to constitute EC as per constitution: Quader
He said the BNP has lost the confidence of the people due to its harmful politics. None can break the record of cruelty and political oppression set by the BNP while in power, he added. The AL leader said that no matter how much BNP tries to destroy the country’s existing stability, it will never succeed. Quader said the BNP has again started conspiring with new tactics to obstruct the establishment of democracy.
READ: Payra Bridge to be opened in Oct: Quader
Quader trashes Fakhrul’s vaccine corruption allegation
Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader has refuted BNP’s allegation of corruption in Covid vaccination as fictional.
At a briefing from his official residence Quader asked his BNP counterpart Fakhrul Islam Alamgir to provide accurate information on where corruption is taking place.
Quader said that BNP is trying to mislead the people by commenting about vaccination from time to time without being informed properly.
Many of the BNP have taken not only the first dose of Covid vaccine, but also the second dose, he added.
READ: Metro rail services to be opened in December,2022: Quader
Quader said that BNP is getting upset as more people are now getting vaccinated in phases and more will receive the shots.
Advising BNP secretary general to oil their own machine without thinking too much about Awami League, Quader said that the party that has failed to hold its national council on time
better not comment on their party.
READ: Quader wants good relationship between politicians and bureaucrats
No vaccine crisis in the country, says Quader
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Saturday trashed the criticism against the recent mass vaccination campaign describing the drive as effective and successful.
Quader, who is also general secretary of Awami League, said this while addressing a discussion meeting organized by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University on the occasion of National Mourning Day this morning.
He asserted that there is no crisis of Covid jabs in the country and there won’t be in future.
Also read: Dhaka to receive 10 lakh Sinopharm vaccine doses shortly
"All that is being said about the implementation and delivery of the mass vaccination programme is unacceptable. Vaccines are currently coming from different countries and sources and it will continue to come in the next six months," he assured.