{"id":33023,"date":"2017-05-07T05:50:49","date_gmt":"2017-05-07T05:50:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/en.bornomalanews.com\/?p=33023"},"modified":"2017-05-07T05:50:49","modified_gmt":"2017-05-07T05:50:49","slug":"we-dont-need-to-drag-bnp-to-polls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.bornomalanews.com\/?p=33023","title":{"rendered":"\u2018We don\u2019t need to drag BNP to polls\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"obaidul-kader-new-690x450\"‘It is not our job to drag them to the polls'<\/h2>\n
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BNP should come to election of its own accord, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader\u00a0 has said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is not our job to drag them to the polls,\u201d Quader remarked when asked about BNP\u2019s participation in the coming national elections.<\/p>\n

The ruling party spokesman, also the road transport and bridges minister, talked about the nation\u2019s political future and the party\u2019s visions and problems at length in a recent interview with the Dhaka Tribune at his office.<\/p>\n

Quader recognised that BNP was a big political party and that it was Awami League\u2019s rival.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy do we have to bring them to the polls? It is not a chance, it is your right. Why wouldn\u2019t you take part in elections?\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cBangabandhu participated in the 1970 election and Awami League participated all the elections when BNP was in the power, despite the vote rigging,\u201d he argued.<\/p>\n

The current Election Commission has been selected through a very proper procedure, the minister said, reminding that Awami League was defeated in the Comilla city cooperation elections.<\/p>\n

But he dismissed BNP\u2019s condition of going to polls under a \u201csupporting government.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no such thing in the constitution. Sheikh Hasina\u2019s government will facilitate the Election Commission. The commission will run the election and ensure level playing field. There is no role for a government,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Party reform needed<\/strong><\/p>\n

The general secretary admitted that there was no hiding the fact that the party is facing many internal problems.<\/p>\n

\u201cAwami League is a big party. It will not be easy for Awami League to consolidate and reorganise without solving the problems inside,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Centrally however, the party is as solid as a rock, he claimed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a problem of AL leaders in the rural areas but the BNP leaders are fighting in their head office. How will they participate in the national election like that?\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Awami League\u2019s key task was to solve the problems of internal feud and \u201cdouble agents\u201d in the party, Quader said. Awami league will go for a political alliance in the next election, he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cParties who are against the last BNP government are now our alliance members. There is no last word in politics, but we hope Jatiya Party will come to our alliance in the next election,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Party\u2019s lawmakers will be assessed on the basis of their performances to decide whether they will be nominated for the next election, Quader said.<\/p>\n

\u201cLawmakers involved in activities against the public interest will be dropped from the next election. We will run several surveys on the MPs, six months before the election,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Asked about the party\u2019s thoughts about its future leadership, the general secretary said: \u201cAwami League is an ideological political party. Our ideology is based on the Liberation War and the spirit of Bangladesh.\u201d<\/p>\n

The future leader of Awami League would have to be a balance between the tradition and the realities of country.<\/p>\n

ICT Adviser to the Prime Minister Sajib Wazed Joy is yet to be interested in participating in the national election despite a demand from the party\u2019s grassroots, he said.<\/p>\n

Issues facing the government<\/strong><\/p>\n

Awami League government\u2019s response to the flood and crisis in the northeastern Haor basins has come under criticism. Quader, however, denied that that there was any negligence in the government\u2019s actions.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom day one of the unprecedented disaster, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has directed concerned government agencies to take necessary measures including food, clothing and proper medical aid for a year.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no lack of goodwill, willingness and sincerity in the government for all types of support to the people of Haor,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Terrorism and militancy cannot be eradicated by the government\u2019s actions alone, the minister said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe public need to be involved for to counter Islamic militancy and terrorism,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Asked if he anticipated any militant activity ahead of the election, he said: \u201cLook at France, militants attacked ahead of its national election, so it is not unlikely a big attack will happen here ahead of national elections. Islamic militants are now weakened but they are not inactive.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut there is no possibility of attack by militants in the national election if BNP participates in the next election,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Uber<\/strong><\/p>\n

Quader, the transport minister, said the government was willing to welcome Uber into the transport sector.<\/p>\n

\u201cUber has introduced a new technology to the country so we have to own that new technology. Uber\u2019s business model should be included in our law for its proper use. We have held several meetings at our ministry about bringing Uber under a legal framework,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

‘It is not our job to drag them to the polls’ BNP should come to election of its own accord, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader\u00a0 has said. \u201cIt is not our job to drag them to the polls,\u201d Quader remarked when asked about BNP\u2019s participation in the coming national elections. The ruling party spokesman, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":33024,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[12],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\t\n