No traffic jam on roads ahead of Eid: Quader

There is no traffic congestion on the country’s roads and highways despite the pressure of vehicles during the Eid journey, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said today (14 June).

He made the remark while speaking at a press conference at the Awami League president’s Dhanmondi political office here this afternoon.

Quader, also the general secretary of Awami League (AL), directed the authorities concerned to carry out their duties so that nobody can set up cattle markets indiscriminately increasing public suffering.

Mentioning that there will be no such situation in which there will be traffic jams due to bad road conditions, he said the best roads in Bangladesh were constructed under the AL government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

“Sacrificial animal-carrying vehicles and indiscriminate cattle markets may cause some traffic congestion…it is difficult to avoid suffering when it rains. Attention should be paid to performing responsibilities and surveillance should be increased to prevent untoward accidents and loss of life on roads,” he said.

Speaking about allegations of corruption against the government raised by BNP, the AL general secretary said the corrupt are now talking against corruption. BNP is a top-to-bottom corrupt party, while BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman is a ‘blessed son of corruption’.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir made a statement to justify Tarique as a good person. “Mirza Fakhrul did many things due to the threat of Tarique. Now he is saying that he (Tarique) could not be punished,” Quader added.

He said Tarique has been convicted and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stated that now the BNP leader should be brought back to the country to ensure justice.

As long as Tarique Rahman remains the leader of BNP, it is not possible for BNP to make a political reemergence, he said.

About the remand of an AL leader over the killing of lawmaker Anar, the AL general secretary said it is not right to call anyone a criminal before a case is filed and the verdict is declared.

“Was there such an example of placing a district secretary on police remand during the BNP regime and General Ershad’s tenure? The Awami League has shown the sincerity and courage to do so,” he said.

Replying to a statement of Mirza Fakhrul that the incumbent government is the enemy of BNP, Quader said a government that will guarantee BNP’s election victory with absolute majority can be a friend of that party.

AL Joint General Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Organising Secretaries BM Mozammel Haque, Mirza Azam, Afzal Hossain and Sujit Roy Nandi, Office Secretary Barrister Biplab Barua, Education and Human Resources Secretary Shamsunnahar Chapa, Publicity and Publication Secretary Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap, Relief and Social Welfare Secretary Aminul Islam Amin and Deputy Office Secretary Advocate Sayem Khan were, among others, present at the press conference.