Staff Reporter:
Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader has said the government is not worried about what the BNP says over the last general election but it is concerned for the price hike of essential commodities.
“There is volatility in commodity prices worldwide. We are also concerned about the price hike of commodities. We have been working to check the price hike of goods,” he told a press conference at the party president’s Dhanmondi political office in Dhaka on Friday afternoon.
But, he claimed, the country’s people are in good condition despite the global volatility as Bangladesh is self-sufficient in food, which is a good sign amid the volatile situation.
Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said the BNP did not participate in the election and it failed in movement too.
The BNP has friends at home and abroad, so it may have an issue showing its activities before its foreign friends, he said.
“Similarly, the BNP activists were longing for power. But the people did not respond to the BNP’s movement. The party did not participate in the election sensing its defeat. They [BNP leaders] have lost their relevance.”
The Awami League general secretary said the government is not upset about the reaction of the BNP over the election but now the main goal of the government is to curb the price hike of commodities and implement the Awami League’s election manifesto.
Despite the BNP’s election boycott, the voter turnout was 41.8% while 28 political parties participated in the polls.
Different countries and organisations from all over the world congratulated Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and pledged to work with her government, he said.
Quader said even the United States did not say that the election was flawed and US Ambassador in Dhaka Peter Haas greeted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
He said the whole world is facing a challenge today and Bangladesh is facing this challenge too.
“On Thursday, I saw that remittance flow increased, but reserves decreased. There will be fluctuations. Yet, we are self-sufficient in food. This is a good point. Despite this instability, everyone is leading a normal life,” the minister said.
Awami League Organising Secretary Mirza Azam, Office Secretary Biplab Barua, Deputy Office Secretary Sayem Khan, and Central Committee member Tarana Halim were present at the press conference.
