AL govt won't be ousted through movement: Razzaque to BNP

Awami League (AL) Presidium Member Dr Abdur Razzaque on Monday again reminded the BNP that the government won't be ousted through any movement, fight, demonstration, blockade or sit-in programme.

"You (BNP) didn't succeed in the movement of ousting the government for the past 14 years and won't succeed in the next one and half months - you will fail and even fall into depression. I am cordially requesting you to come back from the wrong path, the government won't be toppled by staging movement, demonstration, blockade and sit-in-programme," Razzaque, also agriculture minister to the government, said.

He came up with the remark while addressing a seminar styled 'Agricultural Revolution and Impacts of Climate Change' organized jointly by Bangladesh Climate Change Journalist Forum (BCCJF) and the Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh (IDEB) as chief guest at the IDEB Auditorium in Dhaka on Monday.

Criticizing the BNP's 15-day programme and announcement of snapping links to Dhaka from other parts of the country, he suggested the BNP join the next national election and concede the mandate of the people, instead of taking the blame for failure.

Razzaque, also agriculture minister, said, "We want a very strong opponent party which is very important for accountability in any country's government."

He stressed the need for political stability for the continuation of the development of the country as Bangladesh has already been recognised as a role model of development across the world.

Putting forward the agricultural success of the government, he said the country is being governed with the highest priority in agriculture and it will play a pivotal role in the overall development of the country's future.

He called upon scientists to discover technologies to cope with the impacts of climate change as this problem added to the existing ones. The crop producing lands are decreasing due to the construction of houses on those lands.

Terming farmers as the main heroes of the changing days of the country, Bangladesh Bank's former Governor Dr Atiur Rahman said today's inflation would increase more unless success was achieved in agriculture.

Agriculture is playing a role in materialising the dream of a developed country and agriculture is the safeguard of the country, he said.

Chaired by IDEB Acting President Engineer Md Fazlur Rahman Khan, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute Director General Md Shahjahan Kabir presented the keynote paper at the seminar.

BCCJF President Kawsar Rahman moderated the event where its General Secretary Motahar Hossain delivered a welcome speech and put forward the ways of facing the impacts of climate change.

People involved with agriculture and climate change activities spoke at the event.