It’s a ‘death march’ for the BNP

Terming the BNP's four-day programme a death march, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday said the opposition party would face "political death" in the next general election.

"The BNP's road marches have become backward marches. I would say they are now on a march towards their death. They will certainly face political death in the next national polls, and be defeated," he added.

Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, made the remarks while addressing a rally in the capital's Uttara to protest the BNP's "terrorism and anarchy".

Dhaka city north unit of the ruling party organised the rally, where warm clothes were also distributed among the cold-hit people.

Hundreds of leaders and activists of AL and its associate bodies joined the programme.

Meanwhile, as part of its four-day march programme, BNP leaders and activists on the same day marched from the capital's Shahjadpur to Malibagh to press home their 10-point demand, which includes holding the next general election under a nonpartisan caretaker government.

Quader said, "The BNP's alliance is a mess and their movement will never be successful. Where is their uproar? Where is their mass upsurge? ... Awami League's roots run deep. So, there's no point in daydreaming."

The AL leader went on to say that BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was now only making "hollow remarks and spreading lies".

"We have been compelled to reply to their remarks," he said.

AL leaders and activists will continue to take to the streets and respond to every "conspiracy", the party general secretary added.

Meanwhile, AL Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif said the next general election will be held as per the constitution.

If the BNP has trust in people, they should contest the election to test their popularity, he said.

"But the BNP will not join the election. Actually, the BNP-Jamaat doesn't want an election. They know it very well that the people will never vote them into power," he added.

Noting that AL is a party of the masses, Hanif said the party always stands by the people in their weal and woe.

The AL government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has been leading the country towards development and progress, he added.