BNP to face retaliation if they attack Awami League 'peace rally' on 28 Oct: Quader

The BNP's Saturday rally will not face aggression unless they attack the Awami League's 'peace rally', also scheduled for the same day, the ruling party's General Secretary Obaidul Quader said on Thursday.

"We will not initiate an attack on the BNP's rally, nor have we ever done so. However, we will not remain passive if our 'peace rally' comes under attack," he affirmed.

Obaidul Quader, who also serves as the Minister of the Road Transport and Bridges Ministry, made this statement during a press conference regarding the inauguration of the Bangabandhu Tunnel under the Karnaphuli River in Chattogram, set to take place on Saturday.

He announced that the Prime Minister would address a rally on the EPZ grounds in Anwara upazila after inaugurating the tunnel, which will be open to traffic from 6 am the following morning.

Quader said the government is not facing any pressure regarding the upcoming general election. "I am not aware of any pressure. There will be free, peaceful elections," he added.

When asked about potential foreign pressure, the minister said, "Why would there be pressure regarding the election? We are conducting our election. Foreign observers can assess whether the election is peaceful, fair, and impartial or not."

He said, "Fear has always been present in Bangladesh politics. However, Bangladesh is progressing, overcoming all these obstacles."

In regards to the Bangabandhu Tunnel, Quader highlighted, "The radical transformation and modernisation of Chattogram's road communication system is one of the key motivations behind the construction of this tunnel."

He pointed out that the tunnel would also result in cost and time savings in communication.

Construction on the tunnel began in February 2019, after the Prime Minister, along with China's President Xi Jinping, laid the foundation stone of the project in 2016.

China Communication and Construction Company Limited (CCCC) executed the project, with a cost of Tk10,689 crore, Tk6,070 crore of which was provided by China's Exim Bank in the form of a loan.

The tunnel will reduce the distance between the main city of Chattogram, the sea, and the airport. "This tunnel will open up new horizons in communication and will play a vital role in invigorating the economy," he concluded.

The bridge authority stated that Chattogram will be developed following the model of 'one city, two towns', similar to Shanghai in China. A total of 17,260 vehicles are projected to use the tunnel daily, amounting to 7.6 lakh annually. The tunnel is located 150 feet deep in the middle of the river. It will be Bangladesh's first tunnel and the longest under-river road tunnel in South Asia."