Some people happy about US sanctions imposed on Cambodia following polls: Quader

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader has said some people are happy over the United States imposing sanctions on Cambodia, following the country's national elections.

Speaking at an exchange meeting at the central office of Awami League in the capital's Bangabandhu Avenue on Tuesday (25 July), Quader said, "Some people are happy to see this international news that sanctions have been imposed on Cambodia. Cambodia's opposition party did not participate, because of which the US issued sanctions. Whose fault is it if the opposition does not participate? We have also stopped helping them."

The US said it has taken steps to impose sanctions on individuals and cut aid in response to Cambodia's national election on Sunday, which Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's ruling party won in a landslide after his most credible rivals were disqualified.

According to the US State Department the election was "neither free nor fair." In response, the United States has taken steps to impose visa restrictions in Cambodia on individuals who undermined democracy and implemented a pause of certain foreign assistance programmes. 

Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said the BNP is preparing to foil the election through violence.

"We will not leave the country in the hands of Pakistan's friends. The country, democracy, development, nothing is safe with them," he said as reported by the UNB.

Obaidul Quader said conflicts are initiated by individuals who are weak and devoid of supporters, suggesting the ruling Awami League doesn't fall under the category.

"Why would we [Awami League] engage in conflicts? It is done by those who are weak and have no supporters," he said.

Earlier, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir accused the government of scheduling the Jubo League rally on the same day as their program stating that it appears to be a deliberate attempt to create conflict.

During the meeting, Quader expressed contempt over calling the Jubo League's "Youth Victory" rally a counter-political programme and reiterated Awami League's commitment to remain active in the field until the next election.

"Even when we schedule our programme for the month of mourning, BNP and its allies, as well as some media outlets, start calling them counter programmes. We have made it clear that we will be active in the field level till the next election," he said.

Obaidul Quader meanwhile connected the event schedule readjustment with the party's convenience and drew attention to the difference between their youth gathering and other mass gatherings, challenging the need for opposition in such instances.

Furthermore, he said, "The people of Bangladesh are the development partners of Sheikh Hasina. They may have suffered due to commodity price hikes yet the reality is people have confidence in Sheikh Hasina's honesty and hard work." 

The meeting was attended by prominent figures within Awami League, including Begum Matia Chowdhury, Lieut. Colonel (Retd.) Mohammad Farooq Khan, Advocate Kamrul Islam, Dr Mohiuddin Jalal, Advocate Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud, AFM Bahauddin Nashim, Organizing Secretary Shafiul Alam Nadal Chowdhury, Sujit Roy Nandi, and others.