Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam has rubbished BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s claims that there was a conspiracy to destroy the opposition party.
“Who is breaking up and trying to break whom, we have no idea. We want all democratic parties to do politics and play a role in a democratic environment,” he told journalists after a post-Eid programme on Tuesday.
Only two days back, Khaleda claimed during Eid day festivities that the BNP was now the most popular party in the country and the government was trying to destroy it.
When asked for a reaction, Syed Ashraf said, “I have no news on this to give to you.”
On Monday, his party comrades Mohammed Nasim and Obaidul Quader also laughed off the opposition party chief’s claims.
Syed Ashraf, who was recently made the public administration minister, was asked what he would do to ‘depoliticise’ the administration.
“The government will do its work and the party would do theirs, I believe in that ,” he said.
There was some flutter in political circles when Ashraf was removed from his office of LGRD minister.
Rumours started circulating about his fall from grace even though he remained a minister without portfolio.
A week later, however, he was made minister in charge of the public administration ministry, a portfolio that was so long with the prime minister.
“When I take oath as a minister, I do not do so as an Awami League man. Then I am a minister of the government. And when I work for the party, I only do party work. I see no conflict there,” Ashraf clarified.
He went on to say his party president and prime minister sees it the same way. “She wants efficient people in the administration. It benefits both the nation and the government.”
“[She] believes the government should be given scope to work properly… I believe the same. “
The Awami League general secretary also explained the state of matters about scrapping parliament membership of former post and telecommunication minister Abdul Latif Siddique.
He said they had received the Election Commission letter seeking the party’s stance on the matter and copy of the letter sent by the speaker to the EC.
“We expect the commission to invite us in a few days. On that day, we will explain our stand and make arguments in line with our organogram and (Bangladesh’s) Constitution.”
Source: Bd news24
