Staff Correspondent

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader has said the opposition parties that boycotted the 12th parliamentary election are waiting for intervention from their foreign friends to oust the newly formed government.

“They hope that the Cambodia-like sanctions would be imposed in Bangladesh,” he told reporters after paying tribute to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at his mausoleum in Tungipara, Gopalganj on Saturday.

Those who boycotted the polls have not retreated yet, rather they have resorted to conspiracy afresh so that this government cannot stay in power, said Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister.

“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina does not care about any visa policy,” he said.

The United States halted certain foreign assistance programmes in Cambodia and imposed visa restrictions on individuals in response to the country’s national election in July last year in which the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) declared a decisive victory.

US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement that Washington was "troubled" that the elections, in which Prime Minister Hun Sen's CPP faced no viable opponent, were "neither free nor fair."

In Bangladesh, the ruling Awami League secured a landslide victory in the 12th general election held on 7 January, bagging 222 seats out of 298, and thus formed the government for the fourth consecutive term. The election was boycotted by major opposition BNP and like-minded parties.

When asked, Quader said the Awami League wants to deal with politics with politics. But if the opposition parties resort to violence while doing politics, necessary measures will be taken, he added.