BNP’s March 7 observance is political hypocrisy: Quader

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Satrurday termed BNP’s announcement to observe the historic March 7 “nothing but another political hypocrisy” and said that the party wants to hide its face with mask through this programme. “BNP not only banned Bangabandhu’s March 7 speech but also tortured those who played the record of the speech,” he said before joining a meeting at the AL’s Bangabandhu Avenue central office here.

Quader, also road transport and bridges minister, said BNP made many people crippled by torturing them for playing the record of the landmark speech of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman while many people were imprisoned for playing the speech. “Today, suddenly after 46 years, BNP realized about observing the March 7. This is nothing but their political hypocrisy,” he said.

The minister said the people didn’t accept the opening of BNP’s programmes of the month of March, which is historically significant, by a convicted fugitive criminal. BNP made a farce with the spirit of Liberation War by opening the programme of the month of independence by a convicted criminal, he said, adding that by doing so, BNP betrayed with the history of building the nation’s self-identity.

He criticized the provocative comment made at BNP’s Rajshahi divisional rally hinting at recurrence of another August 15-like incident. Quader asked the BNP leaders why there was no clear statement from the party yet on the comment.

He said giving no clear statement over the comment in four/five days proved that it is BNP’s organizational stance. BNP is still busy in doing politics of conspiracy, killing and coup when the country is going to observe its golden jubilee of independence, he said. Later, he chaired a joint meeting with presidents and general secretaries of AL’s Dhaka city south and north units and AL’s associate bodies.

AL Presidium Members Advocate Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Abdur Rahman, Joint General Secretaries Mahbubul Alam Hanif, Dr Dipu Moni and AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Organizing Secretaries Ahmed Hossain, BM Mozammel Haque, Mirza Azam and Afjal Hossain, Office Secretary Barrister Biplab Barua, Labor and Manpower Secretary Habibur Rahman Siraj, Information and Research Secretary Dr Selim Mahmud, Forest and Environment Secretary Delwar Hossain and Deputy Office Secretary Sayem Khan were present, among others.