Staff Correspondent

Awami League (AL) General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said BNP has brought Jamaat-e-Islami in field to carry out arson terrorism.

"Jamaat's real guardian-BNP-brings it in the field. It means, they are preparing to carry out arson terrorism and vandalism again," he told a peace rally arranged by Dhaka City North AL at Nikunja playground in the capital.

Quader said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has been making absurd comments.

If BNP wants peaceful atmosphere, it should forget the issues of caretaker government system, Sheikh Hasina's resignation and dissolution of parliament, he said.

Noting that AL doesn't fear the new visa policy of the US, the minister said they are taking preparation for a free and fair national election.
BNP will have to pay price if it makes any mistake, he said.

Mentioning that BNP holds picnic party in the name of rally, the AL general secretary said BNP will again hold road march and now their allies are 52 parties.

Many of those parties have fled internally and now BNP's unity is a hodgepodge one, he mentioned.

The movement, which has no leader or people's engagement, cannot turn into a mass movement, he said.

"Movement needs leader but both leaders of BNP are convicts. One is in hospital and the other is a fugitive in London. Tarique Rahman is giving order online everyday staying in London. Without abiding by the court verdict, he is sending orders from the bank of Thames," he said.

Pointing to fugitive convict Tarique Rahman, the AL general secretary said: "If you want to wage mass movement and if you have honest courage, come to the street. Let us see who wins or loses. We will stay in field to face you." Quader said Mirza Fakhrul predicted that AL would not get even 10 percent votes. Before 2008 elections, BNP said AL won't get even 30 seats in parliament and in reality, they got only 30 seats in the polls, he mentioned.

The minister urged BNP to contest the next general elections. "If you have courage, join election. Game will be played," he said. AL Presidium Members Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, Bir Bikram, and Lieutenant Colonel (Retd) Faruk Khan, AL Organising Secretary Mirza Azam and City North AL General Secretary SM Mannan Kachi addressed it, among others.

Dhaka City North AL President Sheikh Bazlur Rahman chaired the rally.

Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury said BNP doesn't believe in vote rather it wants to go to power forcefully.

Faruk Khan said foreigners started interfering in the national elections which is not being liked by the country's people.

Mirza Azam said BNP-Jamaat always wants to oust the government through conspiracy.

Whenever election appears, they start hatching conspiracies, he said, adding: "We will face BNP's all conspiracy on the street."