India stood beside us when BNP tried to foil polls : Quader

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Sunday said when BNP tried to foil the national election with the help of another country India stood beside Bangladesh and it behaved like a good neighbour.

"I think the wall of confusion and mistrust has finally been smashed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. There is no reason for our relations with India to be strained," he said.

Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said this while talking to reporters after a meeting with Indian High Commissioner Pranay Kumar Verma at the Secretariat.

Acknowledging the price hike of commodities, Quader said bringing the high prices under control is a challenge.

“Prices of commodities are on the rise, it is reality, There is no way to deny it. Bringing the prices of essentials within people’s purchase capacity is a big challenge,” he said.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave directives on the issue (price hike) in the maiden meeting of the cabinet and they have started working to control it, the minister said.

Responding to a question, the Awami League leader said the new government has to face if any obstacle comes and they would face BNP for protecting lives and property of people if the party commit violence in the name of political programs.

Regarding BNP leader Gayeshwar Chandra Roy’s remark that the government won’t be able to end its full tenure, Quader said: “We have the honest courage to overcome challenges. We did it, and we will be able to do it in the future. We will fulfil the responsibilities we have taken under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.”