No intention to keep BNP off polls: Quader

Saying that the Awami League government has no intention to keep BNP away from the next parliament polls, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader has suggested that BNP get ready for the next election shunning the policy of movement for the release of its chairperson Khaleda Zia, report agencies.

"I suggest that BNP take preparations for the next general election," said Obaidul Quader, also the general secretary of the ruling party, while talking to newsmen during visit to the site of work for upgrading the Dhaka-Tangail highway to four-lane at Chandra in the district on Saturday.

Quader said BNP could not wage any movement in the last nine years and it will not be able to do that in the future either.

The people would not support it, if BNP creates public sufferings by stopping vehicular movements in streets, he added.

"BNP's movement will bring no result. Instead, they should prepare for the next general election," he said.

"Awami League has no intention to keep BNP away from the election. As a registered political party, it has the right to take part in the election," he observed.

"BNP must understand that it's not possible that the people of Bangladesh will wage a movement to free Khaleda Zia from jail. They had thought that there would be a tough movement in the country after the arrest of Khaleda Zia. But their dream went unfulfilled," he said.

Quader went on saying, "The government has nothing to do with the release of Khaleda Zia. And we'll have nothing to say if she is released from jail through a legal battle."

Road Transport and Highways Division (RTHD) Superintending Engineer Md Sabuj Uddin Khan, Gazipur RTHD Executive Engineer DKN Nahin Reza, Dhaka-Tangail Highway Four-Lane Project Deputy Assistant Manager Engineer Rokanuzzaman and Gazipur Highway Police Super Shafiqul Islam were present on the occasion, among others.