US can’t make any unilateral decision regarding sanctions on Bangladesh: Quader
Issue of seat sharing did not come up during meeting with Jatiya Party, he said
The United States cannot make any unilateral decision regarding sanctions or visa restrictions on Bangladesh, Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said today.
"The US cannot make a unilateral decision even if it wants to. The US has friends in South Asia but they do not agree to making any unilateral decision regarding Bangladesh," he said in response to journalists' questions about US sanctions at a press conference held at the political office of the Awami League president in Dhaka's Dhanmondi.
He also said the issue of seat sharing in the upcoming 12th national elections did not come up during the AL's meeting with Jatiya Party on Wednesday evening.
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"We feel the urge to strengthen our cooperation and relations with the existing political parties. Due to this, 14 parties have met. We had a meeting with Jatiya Party. The main issue was to make the election free and fair," he said in response to questions from journalists.
"The issue of seat sharing under the alliance did not come up in the meeting with Jatiya Party," Quader added.
"There needs to be coordination between the parties participating in the election and there needs to be unity. We are committed to making the elections peaceful and free. We do politics, so we have had political discussions."
Obaidul Quader led the AL delegation at the meeting held at a hotel in the capital's Ghulshan area on Wednesday. AL presidium member Jahangir Kabir Nanak and joint general secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim were also present at the meeting.
From Jatiya Party, two leaders including the party's general secretary Mujibul Haque Chunnu attended the meeting.
Referring to the burning of a covered van carrying chickens in Sirajganj on Wednesday night, Quader said, "Now even the chickens are their [BNP] enemies. Chicks are also their target."
Commenting that the BNP is getting desperate to disrupt the elections, the AL leader said, "The closer the election day gets, the more desperate they will become."
However, he said that the BNP would not be able to thwart the election in any way.
