Hero Alom has become zero: Quader

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader today alleged that BNP backed Ashraful Hossain Alam, popularly known as Hero Alom, in the by-elections to undermine the parliament.

Hero Alom contested the Bogura-4 by-polls on February 1 as an independent candidate.

"Fakhrul [BNP secretary general] said Hero Alom was defeated by using the state machinery. He [Fakhrul] felt very sorry for Hero Alom. He thought that Hero Alom would win. But Hero Alom has now become zero. BNP brought Hero Alom to the election race. They backed Hero Alom in the elections to demean the parliament," he said.

Quader, also road transport and bridges minister, was speaking at the "peace rally" organised by the Dhaka City (South) unit AL on the premises of Kamrangirchar Hospital.

Hero Alom lost to AL grand alliance candidate AKM Rezaul Karim Tansen by 834 votes in the Bogura-4 by-polls held on February 1. Hero Alom bagged 19,571 votes while Tansen got 20,405 votes.

Pointing to Fakhrul, the AL general secretary also said, "Bangladesh has six months of reserves. Pakistan does not even have a three-week reserve. Today all of Pakistan is trembling with hunger. You [Fakhrul] like that Pakistan."

He said Bangladesh will turn around under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina. "But if you [BNP] come to power, Bangladesh will be today's Pakistan. BNP will turn Bangladesh into Pakistan, we will not let that happen," he added.