BNP has no respect for democratic system: Quader

Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader yesterday said the BNP has no respect for democratic system of Bangladesh.

"BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has the audacity to term the constitutionally and democratically elected government as an illegal and unelected government because they have no respect for the democratic system," he said in a statement sent to the media. 

The statement was issued to condemn and protest the false statements of BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir which were published in the media, Quader said. 

"In the past elections were held according to the constitutional provisions and the people of the country voted in favor of the Awami League," he added. 

The government was formed under the leadership of Awami League President and daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Hasina based on the verdict of the people, the AL general secretary said. 

"Elections will be held on time to protect the constitutional continuity following the democratic process in the coming days," he said, adding that the people of this country will not accept the handover of power to any undemocratic evil power by disrupting the democratic process.

Under the undisputed leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, independent-sovereign Bangladesh was established in 1971 through the great liberation war, Quader said. 

After independence, Bangabandhu had established all the sectors of the state on a solid foundation to establish the democratic rights of the people of this country, he added.

Quader said Bangladesh achieved enviable success in all sectors as well as it became the center of interest at the international stage under the leadership of the Father of the Nation. 

Afterwards, the anti-liberation forces of the country seized state power by killing Bangabandhu and his family members through a deep rooted conspiracy, he added. 

Obaidul Quader said after assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the steamroller of unspeakable torture and long dictatorship descended on the people of Bangladesh.

Noting that all the socio-economic sectors of Bangladesh had fallen to the ground, he said all the democratic rights including the basic rights of the people of this country were crushed under the boots of cruel military dictator Ziaur Rahman.

From that situation, Sheikh Hasina restored the right to vote and food to the people of Bangladesh and the government formed under her leadership became the government of the people, he added.

He praised the contribution of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the worthy daughter of Bangabandhu, for her contribution to this country.

The fortunes of the people of this country started to improve under her leadership, he said.

He said, "The BNP secretary general talked about corruption and money laundering! It is nothing, but uttering the name of Ram in the mouth of the ghost."

Their leader Tarique Rahman, the godfather of corruption, opened the Hawa Bhaban and established a paradise of corruption and institutionalised looting and money laundering, he mentioned.

Obaidul Quader said that Tarique Rahman has been absconded abroad due to the money laundering case, on the other hand, the government has brought back the smuggled money of Khaleda Zia's other son Koko from Singapore.

Mentioning that corruption and money laundering are the core diseases of BNP, he said, adding that the government is trying to eradicate the bad culture of laundering people's money abroad by the BNP.

Quader said the successful leader of the country Sheikh Hasina is constantly struggling to ensure the democratic system and fundamental rights of people in this country by overcoming all obstacles.

Bangladesh has achieved one milestone after another under the dynamic leadership of the incumbent premier Sheikh Hasina, he added.

The AL general secretary further said that the leadership of Bangabandhu's daughter is being praised in the global arena for maintaining the continuity of Bangladesh's progress despite the global crisis.

Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), stated that Bangladesh's economy is in a stable position even after the corona pandemic, he said.

According to her, Bangladesh needs leadership like Sheikh Hasina to face all the obstacles and move forward on the path of prosperity, Quader added.

He said the ongoing progress of Bangladesh under the leadership of Bangabandhu's daughter is the reason for jealousy of the BNP.

During BNP's tenure, Bangladesh had to plunge into the darkness of extreme failure, on the other hand, Bangladesh, under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina, now has risen to a unique height, he said.

"This picture of unique height is not caught in the eyes of BNP as its vision does not reach that far," Quader continued.