Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Monday said the ruling party nominated a well-educated, honest, efficient, and skilled person for the post of the country's President.
"We did not nominate a person who is like Iajuddin Ahmed for the post of the President. We did not nominate a person from the evil force who is an anti-liberation one and believes in terrorism and arson terrors," he told reporters at Nirbachan Bhaban in the city's Agergaon area, reports BSS.
Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said as BNP has no interest in the country's democracy and the Constitution, the party did not show any interest in the new President. "We were not surprised to this end," he added.
About the next general elections, he said: "We clearly want to say that we want competitive polls. We expect that political parties like BNP would join the next polls."
On behalf of the Awami League, Quader thanked Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal after he declared Md Shahabuddin, a retired judge and former commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission, president-elect of Bangladesh.
"We got the announcement of the presidential election after scrutiny. A copy has also been given to us," he said.
The AL general secretary said the new president will work in accordance with the country's Constitution after taking responsibility for the post.
"The President will do what the constitution has entrusted him with, while he would not be able to do anything beyond the Constitution," he said.
The BNP has not interested in joining dialogues, Quader said the President and the EC earlier called BNP to join dialogues but it did not do so. "I think the BNP does not believe in dialogue," he added.
AL Joint General Secretary and Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud and AL Office Secretary Barrister Biplab Barua were, among others, present.
In his speech at a discussion at Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB) auditorium in Dhaka on Monday, Obaidul Quader said BNP had forced its elected President AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury, commonly known as B Chowdhury, to flee away.
“B Chowdhury is still alive; the BNP had forced its elected President B Chowdhury to flee away along rail line. President like B Chowdhury was not able to tolerate it. They (BNP) wanted Iajuddin like one,” he said.
The AL general secretary said the BNP started conflicts again while the BNP men have started arson terrorism in several districts. BNP is creating obstacles to the Awami League’s peace rallies through arson terrorism, he added.
“You live in this city, tell us - where have we obstructed them (BNP)? They are holding meetings, gatherings and marches. Have their programmes been halted anywhere?’ Quader questioned.
He said the BNP carried out attacks on the AL’s peace rallies. “Through terrorism carried out in 2013-14, the BNP proved that they were neo-Razakars. They didn’t let us hold rallies while many of our leaders and workers were beaten up and injured on the streets,” he said.