‘I miss the war of words between us’

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday said he misses the "war of words" between him and BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as the latter is in jail now.

When asked if he misses Fakhrul, he said, "No... It would have been better if he was here. I mean, it's a healthy competition between us through conversation."

He said this while talking to reporters at the political office of the Awami League president in Dhanmondi. "Democracy also benefits from this. He responds to me, and I respond to him... but it's a matter of law [that Fakhrul is in prison]," said Quader.

Quader also said, "I habitually say the word 'miss', I do not want to say it like that. I mean, I exchange words every day. He also sharpened his attack while answering various questions. It felt good to do that. It's definitely absent now. It's true."

About the upcoming election, Quader said democracy in Bangladesh will become more flawless through it.

"No one can claim that our democracy or democracy of any other country is flawless. No one is perfect... but to achieve this perfection, to be perfect, we will eliminate those issues and make the journey of democracy smoother," he said.

Quader questioned whether BNP wants to establish democracy in the country by setting fire to buses, vandalising trains, arson and terrorism.

Regarding independent candidates, Quader said, "I have clearly talked about independent candidates. We have also informed those who are negotiating from the alliance -- we cannot withdraw  independent candidates. There is no room for compromise here."