Staff Correspondent

Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said BNP and its allies want to turn Bangladesh into a state like Afghanistan.

"Allowing BNP to assume power and letting Bangladesh turn into Afghanistan is the same thing," he told a discussion in front of Bangabandhu Bhaban at Dhanmondi in the capital, marking 54th anniversary of Bangladesh Mohila Awami League.

Speaking as the chief guest, Quader said the hands of BNP leaders were stained with blood as they carried out the August 21 grenade attack.

"This is the party whose hands were stained with the blood of 26,000 AL leaders and activists," he said, questioning why BNP would be allowed to go to state power as it established militancy in the country.

The AL general secretary said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir claimed that the Pakistani regime was good for him. "The rate of US dollar is 242 rupees in Pakistan now. This Pakistan is good for him (Fakhrul)," he added.

About the BNP's leadership, he said who is BNP's chief is not the AL's headache. "The decision on Khaleda Zia was the court's and it is up to the court whether she will be able to do politics or not," he said.

Noting that BNP is doing politics over the illness of Khaleda Zia, Quader said the security money of BNP in the next general election will be forfeited.

Chaired by Bangladesh Mohila Awami League president Meher Afroz Chumki, the meeting was addressed, among others, by AL office secretary Biplab Barua, women affairs secretary Jahanara Begum, former president of Mohila AL and its former general secretary Mahmuda Begum Creek.

Mohila Awami League general secretary Shabnam Jahan Shila moderated it.