Dhaka – Food Minister Quamrul Islam on Tuesday ruled out mid-term polls saying neither the existing situation demands it nor the BNP can force any early vote.
“The current situation doesn’t demand any mid-term election and BNP has also no organisational capacity to force it,” he told a discussion organised by Janotar Protyasha at the Jatiya Press Club. Quamrul, also the joint general secretary of Awami League Dhaka city unit, said the current government was elected constitutionally and it will remain in office for five years.
He criticized BNP for what he said resorting to violence in the name of movement. “It’s been proved that BNP has no power, courage and even leaders to wage movement. They can carry out subversive activities and terrorist acts by outsourcing some people.”
Responding to BNP’s allegation about extrajudicial killing by law enforcers, the AL leader said, “Khaleda Zia has claimed that 152 people were killed or made to disappear in nine districts. But a newspaper in its investigation found the figure only 17. Which one is correct? The investigative report or Khaleda’s propaganda.?”
Quamrul said the BNP chairperson did not find qualified leaders to induct in the Dhaka city unit BNP committee.
Calling upon the leaders and activists of Awami League to remain alert against the BNP’s terrorist activities, the minister said, “BNP is now taking a back turn, but it’s not their actual character. Their real nature is to resort to terrorist acts. They can any time emerge with their real face.”
Swechchhasebak League President Molla Md Abu Kawshar, AL leaders MA Karim, GM Atik and Chitta Ranzan Das, among others, spoke on the discussion. – UNB
