Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Wednesday called upon the BNP leaders to return to the path of welfare-based politics shunning the undemocratic tactics.
“We urge the BNP leaders to quit undemocratic ways and return to the path of public welfare-oriented politics. Prepare to join the elections shunning the anti-national plots and the attempts to destroy democratic system,” he said in a statement.
“Otherwise, you will be rejected by the people like in the past. I hope your good intellect will emerge,” he added.
Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said after the killing of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members in 1975, BNP founder and military dictator Ziaur Rahman introduced so-called multi-party democracy in the country violating the constitution and democracy.
He said Zia had provided licenses to anti-liberation and communal forces to do politics in the country.
The BNP founder also showed mockery to the nation by introducing curfew-brand-democracy in the name of multi-party democracy through political criminalization, involving so-called political parties and the derailed political leaders, he added.
In its continuation, the AL general secretary said, the BNP is still trying to form a so-called multi-party platform attaching the anti-liberation forces and defecting political leaders.
This platform of the so-called movement to free the BNP’s corrupt leadership is basically an alliance to halt the country’s democracy, peace and security, he said.
Quader said it seems ridiculous to hear the words of mass movement from those who were compelled to relinquish power several times in the rise of mass uprisings and movements.
The country’s people know better that those who are enemies of commoners never do anything for the welfare of the people in the field of politics, and if they get united, public suffering will go up, he added.
The minister said the nature of these anti-people forces is exposed before the nation now.
The AL wants to get the people united in the light of the spirit of the 1971 Liberation War and keep them away from the shadow of this evil force, he said.
Quader reiterated that the law enforcing agencies did not detain any one without specific cases (against them), while the independent judiciary has established rule of law in the country.
As Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was committed to establishing rule of law here, she did not avenge for the grenade attack she suffered, he said.
Even, on humanitarian grounds, Sheikh Hasina gave the opportunity to Khaleda Zia, who was convicted on graft charges, to receive advanced treatment staying at her own home, the AL general secretary said.
But, he said, the BNP is trying to form a new platform under the directives of Tariq Rahman, a fugitive convict who was the mastermind of the August 21 grenade attack.
Forming this platform is a part of a deep conspiracy against the country and its people, he added.