2024-07-10 00:12:22
Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader has described BNP’s support to the ongoing anti-quota movement and the movement of university teachers over the pension scheme as a misfortune. He directed the party leaders and workers to be on guard so as not to create chaos in the country by inciting this ‘non-political’ movement.
Obaidul Quader gave this instruction in the opening speech of the joint meeting with top leaders of Dhaka Metropolitan North and South, Dhaka District Awami League and associate-fraternal organizations at the Awami League’s central office on Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital on Tuesday (July 9). This joint meeting was organized to decide the party program for the month of mourning, August.
Obaidul Quader said, “We are careful about one thing, it is definitely a related issue, non-political movement, teachers’ movement is also non-political and students’ movement is also non-political. We have to think about the political support of BNP and their like-minded people in this non-political movement.
“We must be careful and alert everywhere in the country, in the capital, so that this evil circle does not incite and fuel the teachers and students to create an atmosphere of chaos in the country. I am reminding everyone of that.’
Pointing to BNP, he said, ‘They cannot do agitation by themselves. In 2018, there was mass anti-quota movement. This time also they failed in the movement, did not go to the election for fear of losing. Now if the quota reform movement is implemented to oust the government, it is their sign. We have to be on guard against evil forces.’
The general secretary of the party said that the Awami League is carefully monitoring the two programs of the students’ movement demanding ‘quota reform’ and the teachers’ movement on pension. He said, ‘As far as we know the movement of quota reform students, today they have no set program. Thank them for that. We also heard that they have appointed lawyers on behalf of the pending High Court cases and will appear in court in due course. It is also a logical decision. Thank you for that.’
Awami League general secretary said, our position is very clear. The Prime Minister issued a circular in 2018 and then decided to exempt the quota, according to which government activities are being conducted till now. Among them, 7 children of freedom fighters filed a case regarding the issue of freedom fighter quota. The High Court gave a verdict, against which the government appealed. He also thinks that the full court will hear quickly.
Obaidul Quader thinks that the agitators want quota reforms. He said, when they themselves represent their representative lawyers in the court, the court will listen to them, the government will also listen to the side. We hope that the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the country will take a realistic decision after listening to all parties. Till then I request everyone to be patient.
He said, we are drawing the attention of the agitators to ensure that whatever we do does not cause public suffering. We will not provoke anyone with this. We are warning and reminding everyone that none of us should be provoked.
Instructing the Chhatra League to deal with the situation cautiously, Kader said, ‘No incitement can be given under any circumstances. The leader has also instructed the law and order forces not to be provoked by them.
In response to the question whether the Awami League is on the side of the government or the court on the quota in Chakari, the general secretary of the party said, ‘The government is on the side of the government, and the Awami League is also on the side of the government.’
Mentioning that the government is looking at the teachers’ movement, he said, we are in touch with them. But there was no formal meeting. That’s not a very complicated problem, not an intractable one. I believe that will be resolved soon.
In response to the question of when the agitating teachers were supposed to sit formally, he said, “Did we say that we will sit formally?” Later, when the journalists replied that the teachers had said, he said, what they said now is not a matter for us to see.
Obaidul Quader said, we may also have problems. We are not disrespecting them in any way. We are monitoring their movements. We hope it will be resolved in time.
Awami League presidium members Kamrul Islam, Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin, Joint General Secretary Mahbub Ul Alam Hanif, AFM Bahauddin Nashim, Dipu Moni, Organizing Secretary BM Mozammel Haque, SM Kamal Hossain, Finance Secretary Wasika Ayesha Khan, Agriculture Secretary Faridunnahar Laili were present in the meeting. , International Secretary Shammi Ahmed, Office Secretary Biplab Barua, Science and Technology Secretary Abdus Sabur, Deputy Office Secretary Sayem Khan and others were present.