Fakhrul a gentleman: Quader

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader today evaluated his political counterpart BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam saying he is a gentleman indeed.

“He (Fakhrul) is a gentleman, apart from this, he is also good as a man,” Quader made the remarks when news on several media flooded over changing the leadership in BNP after its utter debacle in the December 30 national election.

Quader, also road transport and bridges minister, was talking to reporters after visiting the head office of Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) in Motijheel area of Dhaka this noon.

“BNP will see whether Fakhrul has failed to meet the party’s demand. We have no need to push our noses into the matter, Quader told a questioner.

Claiming that Fakhrul belongs to a political party and thus he has to come up with many issues, Quader said, “He (Fakhrul) does not speak like a residential representative of BNP. I did not hear any abusive speech in his face.”

BNP leaders have become vocal demanding change in their party’s leadership after the December 30 national election, Quader last week said that Fakhrul should resign from the leadership of BNP if he is ashamed after the election.

When asked about his remarks, Quader said, “I gave a counter political speech on that day. It is BNP’s own business whether it would change its leadership.”

Soon after the December 30 national election, BNP and Jatiya Oikyafront rejected the polls results bringing allegations of vote rigging, ballot stuffing and violence in the election.

About the upcoming upazila election, Quader said, “It is not an opportunity for BNP’ rather it is its political rights whether it would take part in the election.”