Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today said the government will take harsh steps if health guidelines are not followed and social distancing is not maintained in public transport during the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

"If people do not follow health guidelines and maintain social distancing, the country's coronavirus situation will deteriorate...the government may take harsh decisions again considering public interest," he said.

Quader, also the Awami League general secretary, came up with the warning while talking to officials of the bridges division through a videoconference from his official residence.

He urged transport owners and workers to abide by the government's rules and "set a humanitarian example".

The transport minister said the government has adjusted the fares of public transport so that the vehicles can run following the health guidelines and keep 50 percent seats vacant to help prevent coronavirus transmission.

The movement of public transport began today, he said, urging the law enforcement agencies, vigilance teams, mobile courts and bus terminal authorities to strictly monitor the sector.

Stressing the need for paying the salaries and arrears of the workers of the bridge division's projects, he instructed the project chiefs to ensure guidelines for project workers.

Bridges Division secretary Mohammed Belayet Hossain and senior officials of the division were present during the conference.

Awami League (AL) General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today said the pledge of AL in the 21st national council will be eliminating militancy and resisting the communal forces.

“The challenge of the present government is stamping out the poisonous root of the communal forces and militancy. The AL’s committee this time will be more dynamic through the combination of young and older leaders to overcome the challenge,” he said.

The AL general secretary said this while briefing journalists after visiting the stage set up for the party’s 21st council slated for December 20-21 at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital.

Urging the party leaders and activists to strengthen the hands of Prime Minister and AL President Sheikh Hasina for implementing the party’s election manifesto, Quader said, “The government cannot be successful if the party is not strengthened”.

The new committee will work to make the prime minister’s visions a success aiming at realizing the dream of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, he said.

Terming the upcoming council as important one, the AL general secretary said the council will be held in a festive mood while some amendments will be brought in the party constitution.

AL Relief and Social Welfare Secretary Sujit Roy Nandi, central working committee member Mirza Azam, Dhaka City South AL President Abu Ahmed Mannafi and Dhaka City North AL President Sheikh Bazlur Rahman and General Secretary SM Mannan Kachi were present, among others, during the briefing.

Awami League (AL) General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today said devoted persons who remained with the party in its well and woe will be made the party leaders.

“We want more disciplined and well-organized Awami League. We do not want opportunists in the party. Devoted workers will be evaluated in the party,” he said while addressing the first session of AL Chattogram District North unit’s triennial conference at the historic Laldighi Maidan in the city.

Quader said AL has a large number of workers so there is no need of wrongdoers in the party.

The party, he said, does not need workers like those who were involved with BUET student Abrar Fahad killing, who created chaos in the Chattogram University and who plunged college principal into a pond in Rajshahi.

The AL general secretary said once Chattogram was Father of Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s strong base for achieving independence and it was also a strong base of Bangabandhu’s daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

He called upon the leaders and workers of Chattogram to be united shunning quarrels.

AL Presidium Member Engineer Mosharraf Hossain inaugurated the conference while Presidium Member Advocate Abdul Matin Khasru, Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif, Publicity and Publication Secretary and Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud, Organizing Secretary and Deputy Minister for Water Resources AKM Enamul Haque Shameem, Organizing Secretary and Deputy Minister for Education Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel, Deputy Publicity Secretary Aminul Islam and Deputy Office Secretary and Prime Minister’s Special Assistant Barrister Biplab Barua, among others, addressed the session.

AL Chattogram District North Unit acting President ABM Fazle Karim Chowdhury chaired the function while its General Secretary MA Salam conducted it.

Speaking on the occasion, Mahbubul Alam Hanif said pro-BNP lawyers have made an unprecedented incident by creating chaos in the courtroom. People of no other countries witnessed such a terrible incident inside the courtroom of the chief justice, he added.

Dr Hasan Mahmud said world leaders including the US president, Indian prime minister, World Bank president and its chief economist have praised the unprecedented development of Bangladesh. But BNP and its 20-party alliance could not praise the achievements of the country, he added.

Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury said BNP has become a political party based on media as now the party’s only task is to hold a press conference for spreading falsehood against Awami League and the government.

Chattogram City AL Acting President Mahtab Uddin Chowdhury, Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) Mayor and City AL General Secretary AJM Nasir Uddin, Chattogram District South unit of AL President Moslem Uddin Ahmed, General Secretary Mafizur Rahman, lawmakers Didarul Alam, Mahfuzur Rahman Mita and Khadizatul Anwar Sony were present in the dais.

A huge number of leaders and workers joined the council. Later in the afternoon council session was held at the International Convention Centre in the city.