Quader holds talks with Kader Siddique

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader today held talks with Krishak Sramik Janata League President Abdul Kader Siddique and discussed different issues including the country’s contemporary political affairs.

Later, Nazmul Huda, former minister of BNP-Jamaat-led government, met Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, and held discussion on the same issues, sources said.

“Kader Siddique came to our office around 3:30pm and talked to Obaidul Quader for around half an hour,” Abu Naser, senior information officer of the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, told The Daily Star this evening.

In 1999, Kader Siddiqui was expelled from Awami League and after the expulsion, he resigned from parliament and formed his own party Krishak Sramik Janata League.

Later, former BNP leader Nazmul Huda, also the chief of Bangladesh National Alliance (BNA), met Quader at his ministry office around 4:00pm and stayed there for around half an hour, Naser said.

However, the information officer could not say anything about the matter of discussions.

Quader is now passing very busy days in trying to expand the ruling Awami League-led 14-party alliance ahead of the upcoming general elections late this year or early next year.

According to sources, talks among the country’s top politicians were held to expand the ruling Awami League-led 14-party alliance.

“Talks over the matter were being held and more talks will be held,” the sources said without clarifying any further details.

Contacted, Kader Siddique denied making any comment in this regard.

Sources said the BNA is mulling to hold a programme marking the National Mourning Day on August 15, the day when Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman along with most of his family members were brutally assassinated by a disgruntled group of army officers in 1975.

Huda met Quader and requested him to attend the programme as the chief guest, the sources added.

Earlier, the AL general secretary on Tuesday went to the office of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) in the capital's Old Paltan area and exchanged greetings with the party leaders present there.

During the brief conversation, the CPB general secretary told Quader that they launched a platform of eight left leaning parties to strengthen the alternative political force against bad politics.

On July 22, eight parties -- Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD), Bangladesher Biplobi Workers Party, Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (Marxist), Gana Sanghati Andalon, Bangladesher United Communist League, Ganatantrik Biplobi Party and Bangladesher Samajtantrik Andalon -- launched a new platform under the banner of “Left Democratic Alliance (LDA)”.

The ruling AL and its principal political opposition BNP are now engaged in hatching efforts to include the newly formed platform of the left leaning parties in their respective camps to gain victory in the next general election.

Besides, the alliance leaders said that no election will be free and fair under the current regime, and they launched the new platform in a bid to wage a movement against farcical polls.

They also said it will not be possible to ensure a level-playing field if the current parliament is not dissolved.