Oikyafront failed to create a stir

Newly-formed Jatiya Oikyafront could not create any stir among the people, said Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday.

“Veteran leaders joined the Oikyafront's rally in Sylhet, but they could not create any stir among the people,” he told journalists after visiting the progress of the metro-rail project in Dhaka's Diabari.

Awami League presidium member Advocate Sahara Khatun, local leaders and activists of the party and high officials of the project were present on the occasion.

Quader, also road transport and bridges minister, said those who cannot win in movement would not be able to win the election. Terming Oikyafront's seven-point demand illogical, he said none of those will be met.

About bringing back reformist leaders in BNP, Quader said it has proved that BNP is politically bankrupt. Just the notion that reformists will strengthen its movement is ridiculous, he added.

Quader said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was a reformist himself, and it is natural that he would be sympathetic to them.

About the forthcoming general election, he said the polls-time government will perform its duty like in other parliamentary democratic countries. After announcement of the polls schedule, the government cannot take any major decision and will perform only the routine works, he added.

Quader said the Election Commission takes decisions based on the opinions of majority of the members. Any election commissioner can oppose a decision, he added.

About the metro-rail project, the minister said works of the project will be completed in two phases. The first phase -- from Uttara to Agargaon -- will end by December 2019 while the second phase by December 2020.

He said around 60,000 passengers will travel per hour and around 5 lakh passengers per day by metro-rail. The minister expressed hope that the city's traffic congestion problem will lessen significantly after completion of the project.