Abdul Quader Mirza

Ruling Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader's younger brother Abdul Quader Mirza yesterday claimed that some AL leaders from Feni and Noakhali had sent arms to be used against him.

Mirza, the incumbent mayor of Basurhat municipality in Noakhali, said his brother is not supporting him. He also said the local Awami League or administrations are not by his side and everyone left him as he was telling the truth about them.

Only local people are supporting him, he said.

"You will need us to win in the national election. You will have to be careful to win in future. It is not very easy. You will have to collect information on those who walk with you," Mirza said, addressing his elder brother while speaking at an electoral rally at ward 9 of Basurhat municipality.

Mirza, who has stirred up a debate in the country's political circles with some of his recent remarks, is also contesting the municipality polls, slated for January 16, on an AL ticket.

"Obaidul Quader is not with me. Some leaders of Noakhali and Feni district AL have sent firearms to use against me. Companiganj upazila AL and Basurhat municipal AL are not with me," claimed Mirza.

"Even the DC [deputy commissioner] and superintendent of police are not with me," claimed Mirza.

Addressing the crowd, he asked, "Are you with me? If you are with me, that is enough… I will continue telling the truth."

He also alleged that Obaidul Quader acted as the major barrier in Mirza's emergence as a national leader.

"In my student life, I wanted to study in Dhaka. But he [Obaidul Quader] advised me to study in Chattogram because he feared that I would emerge as a bigger leader than him. Obidul Quader did not let us move ahead," he alleged.

"Before the national elections, Obaidul Quader promised to arrange jobs for eligible people of every household. But where are the jobs?" asked Mirza.

"When I speak against corruption and misdeeds of Awami League men, they call me insane," he added.

"A woman identifying herself as a Jubo Mohila League leader has hurled abusive words at me. I have informed administration about this matter. But they did not take any action. So, it can be assumed that the woman is too powerful," he said.

Criticising the administration, Mirza said some overenthusiastic officials are bypassing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's directives.

In the last few days, Mirza on several occasions claimed that if elections were held in a free and fair manner, all AL MPs in greater Noakhali, except for the ones in three or four constituencies, "would not have found ways to escape".

While unveiling his election manifesto on December 31 last year, he brought allegations of corruption, tender manipulation and recruitment scams against some local lawmakers and AL leaders.