AL will accept EC to be formed by President: Quader

Awami League (AL) General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today said his party would accept the Election Commission (EC) to be formed by the President as per recommendation of the search committee.

"We (AL) have full respect and confidence on knowledgeable and experienced guardian President Abdul Hamid and did not give him any name for search committee, but BNP did it, including names of some controversial people," he said.

"After meeting the President, BNP was satisfied, but they became unhappy when the search committee was announced. There are differences in opinions within BNP itself about the search committee," he said.

Obaidul Quader said this while addressing the Rangpur Divisional Joint Workers` Meeting of Bangladesh Awami League organised by its central committee on Zila School ground as the chief guest.

Quader said they (AL) proposed to the President that the present government might work as an election-time routine government to extend cooperation to the EC for holding the next general elections as a model like that of Narayanganj City Corporation polls.

He called upon leaders of AL and its associate bodies to shun differences and asked the `wrong doers` to rectify them for strengthening the party at all levels as one and a half years are left before the next general elections.

He asked the AL leaders not to include bad people in the party, not to form pocket committees and called upon them for bridging the gap with the workers and the people.

"We should remain careful so that the dedicated leaders are not lost," he said and suggested the AL leaders not to form committees with those leaders having no popularity and acceptance among the workers.

"Workers are the lifeline of AL", he said adding that Sheikh Hasina would give nominations to those leaders having acceptance among workers and local people at all levels.

Quader called upon the leaders, workers and activists of AL and its associate bodies to resist and defeat the fundamentalist evil forces and militancy unitedly under leadership of Prime Minsiter Sheikh Hasina.

He directed the administrations to take stern actions against those involved in drug abuse and drug-peddling.

"Sheikh Hasina is not only a politician, but she is a stateswoman who thinks about the next generations to save them," he said and called upon all people irrespective of political affiliations to resist `Yaba` and drug abuse.

Joint General Secretary of AL Jahangir Kabir Nanok chaired the meeting participated by Members of the Parliament, Zila Parisahd Chairmen, Municipality Mayors, Presidents and General Secretaries of all district and Thana units of AL under Rangpur division.

Joint General Secretary of AL Mahbub-Ul-Alam Hanif MP, Treasurer of AL HN Ashikur Rahman MP, Organising Secretaries of AL BM Mozammel Haque MP, AFM Bahauddin Nasim MP and Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury MP, its Finance and Planning Secretary Tipu Munshi MP, State Minsiter for Jute and Textiles Mirja Azam MP, AL Presidium Member Ramesh Chandra Sen MP, Whip of the Jatiya Sangshad Iqbalur Rahim MP, former President of Bangladesh Chhatra League Mahmud Hasan Ripan, Members of AL Central Executive Committee SM Kamal Hossain and Chowdhury Khalekuzzaman, Relief and Social Welfare Secretary of AL Sujit Roy Nandi, addressed, among others.