Govt not concerned about BNP: Obaidul Quader

The government is not worried about the reactions of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) regarding the recently concluded parliamentary elections, said governing Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader Friday.

The main focus of the government now is to curb the prices of daily essentials and implement the election manifesto, he added while exchanging views with newspersons at the political office of the AL president in Dhanmondi in the capital.

Coming down hard on the BNP, Quader, also road transport and bridges minister said they do not have the support of people. The people do not want any movement, whatever they (BNP) say.

Claiming that 41.8 per cent of the people cast their ballots despite the BNP boycotting it, the AL general secretary said 28 parties participated in the elections while countries and organisations from across the globe have congratulated Sheikh Hasina. They also pledged to work along with the government, he added.

Even the US did not say the election was faulty, Quader remarked.

US ambassador to Bangladesh, Peter Haas, congratulated the prime minister, he stated.

Mentioning that the whole world is facing challenges, Obaidul Quader said, “This has an impact on Bangladesh too. Just yesterday I saw the remittance has increased but the reserve has declined. These ups and downs will be there. The good news is that we are self-sufficient in agriculture-food. There is no scrambling and demonstrations of the people even amid this restlessness. Everyone is leading normal lives.”

The road transport and bridges minister said the whole world is facing challenges now. Even the US also has its worries and they are busy with those. Do they have the time to focus on Bangladesh?

He also informed the media that there will be no party symbol in the local government elections and the selling of nomination forms for the reserved women's seats will begin shortly.