Newly elected general secretary of ruling Awami League, Obaidul Quader, and the minister for road transport and bridges, addresses a press briefing at Priyanka community centre at Dhanmondi in the city on Monday
A day after being elected general secretary of the ruling Awami League, Obaidul Quader on Monday said preparations will be taken from now on targeting the next general election as prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s call. ‘We’ll develop strong team work in this regard. We will expand our mass campaign up to the grassroots,’ he said. Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, came up with the remarks at a press briefing at Priyanka community centre in the city’s Dhanmondi area. About the full-fledged committee, he said it will take over a week to announce the committee. Expressing his gratitude to prime minister and Awami League president Sheikh Hasina, Quader said the AL chief gave him the best recognition of his political career. ‘I’m grateful to the Awami League president and I’ve no word to express my gratitude to her. I’ll use my merit, diligence, strength and aptitude for protecting the honour of the party chief,’ he said, adding, ‘If I fail to perform my work neutrally, it’ll dishonour the trust of the Awami League president.’ Extending his thanks to former AL general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam Obaidul said, ’Syed Ashraful Islam’s experience will help me perform my duties properly.’ ‘There might be differences of opinions in the party but where there is Sheikh Hasina no disunity or differences will be tolerated. No one could do anything without her permission as she is the symbol of the party’s unity,’ he asserted. The minister underscored the need for changing the behaviour of party leaders and activists saying, ‘If we don’t change ourselves, then how we’ll implement our leader’s (Hasina’s) dream to change Bangladesh.’ He went on saying,’ The behaviour of the party’s leaders and activists has to be changed to change Bangladesh. The behaviour of party’s leaders and activists has to be more acceptable to people. I want to make the organisation more disciplined up to the grassroots,’ he said. Two bad deeds can outshine 10 development activities or achievements, said the AL leader adding, ‘Considering this I want to make Awami League the best political party regarding behaviour development under its chief Sheikh Hasina’s leadership.’ As BNP general secretary Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir congratulated him on being elected secretary general, Quader also greeted him on the occasion. ‘We could have greeted them sincerely had they responded to our invitation. They had promised to join our council,’ he added. In reply to a question about his dual duties- as a minister and ruling party general secretary, Quader said, ‘I consider myself as an activist of Awami League and Sheikh Hasina, not a minister.’ ‘As a minister, I’ve visited whole Bangladesh. Earlier, party leaders and activists raised many allegations and various problems they are facing about the party but I only heard those. Now, I’ll be able to solve those on the spot as I’m holding the post of AL general secretary. If needed, I’ll talk to the party president over phone,’ he added. About the surprise in the Awami League’s 20th council, the minister said, ‘Syed Ashraf proposed my name as the general secretary…and it was a big surprise. It’s the magical power of Sheikh Hasina’s leadership.’
Source: New Age
