BNP's dream will never come true

The BNP is too weak to wage a movement before the upcoming national elections, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader said yesterday.

"They [the BNP] couldn't take to the streets even for 10 days in the last 10 years... when will they wage a movement? Will that happen in a month? People are now in election mood... they don't want any movement," Quader, also road, transport and bridges minister, said at a rally in Chattogram's Karnaphuli upazila.

The rally was organised as part of the ruling party's two-day roadshow from the capital to Cox's Bazar ahead of the national elections.

The programme's main objectives are to warn party grassroots against infighting and convince all local leaders to accept and support the candidates to be nominated by the central leadership, say party sources.

On the first day of the roadshow on Saturday, the AL organised three rallies in Cumilla and one in Feni. It postponed another rally in Sitakunda for lack of preparations.

Yesterday, several hundred party leaders and activists welcomed Quader as his motorcade reached the rally venue.

Quader told the rally that the BNP has been living in a dream world after losing power, and its dreams will never come true.

The AL leader advised party activists to behave well with all and stay united for a positive outcome in the next general elections.

“Don't build a house within a house ... Forge unity. No one can topple the Awami League from power as long as we remain united.”

About the recent movements for quota reform and road safety, he said the BNP tried to cash in on those but that also turned out to be fruitless.

Pointing to BNP's organisational weakness, he said the government allowed the party to hold a rally at Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital but it preferred to organise a small rally at Mahanagar Natyamancha at Gulistan with the participation of just 30 leaders.

AL Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif and AL Publicity and Publication Secretary Hasan Mahmud, among others, were present at the rally chaired by Karnaphuli upazila AL President Sayed Jamal Uddin.