Awami League (AL) General Secretary Obaidul Quader has said BNP leaders have misinterpreted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's comments over the successful construction of Padma Bridge to create confusion in people's mindsets.
"BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and other leaders are making misleading and purpose-oriented comments centring Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's remarks over Padma Bridge construction," he said on Friday in a statement, reports BSS.
Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said even BNP leaders have created the so-called "death threat" theory to distort the premier's comments over the Padma Bridge.
He said, “If a pro-people, honest, bold and patriotic leader runs the state, no conspiracy can take a nation backwards and Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina and the successful construction of Padma Bridge are bright examples of that.”
The AL general secretary said his party never did politics of repressing the opposition party rather ill-politics of eliminating the political opponent through killings, coups and conspiracy began in the country through the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members on August 15, 1975, under the leadership of BNP founder dictator Ziaur Rahman.
In continuation of the conspiracy of August 15, Sheikh Hasina and Awami League came under attacks repeatedly, he said.
He said an identified clique is continuously hatching different conspiracies against the country's interests.
Bangabandhu's daughter wanted to unmask the anti-state clique and make the people aware of the conspiracies through her comments, he said.
Quader said Mirza Fakhrul knew it very well that if Sheikh Hasina wished the death of Khaleda Zia, the premier wouldn't have allowed graft case convict Khaleda Zia, whose bail plea was rejected more than once by High Court, to receive modern and advanced treatment staying at home through forming medical board.
Construction of the much-anticipated Padma Bridge with domestic funds is a unique example of changed Bangladesh under Sheikh Hasina's successful leadership, he said.
"I want to tell those now making evil efforts to deny Bangladesh's economic capability because of their political interests and those nourish their latent desires to see Sri Lanka-like condition in Bangladesh that Padma Bridge is not merely a bridge rather it is a memento of Bangladesh's economic capacity under Jananetri Sheikh Hasina's leadership," he said.
The minister said BNP and their cohorts started hatching continuous conspiracies just after the beginning of Padma Bridge construction works by the AL government and they stopped foreign funds through plotting.
Even after that, Sheikh Hasina expressed strong determination for the construction of Padma Bridge with domestic funds, he said.
At that period, comments of BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and an identified quarter were irrational and purpose-oriented, he recalled.
"These kinds of conspiracy and political propaganda were not only opposing the government rather they were tantamount to sedition," he said.
Quader said the people know it very well that Bangabandhu's daughter doesn't do politics of vengeance.
BNP and its corrupt top leadership failed to survive in the race of democratic politics as the party became isolated from people due to their involvement with corruption and terrorism and their autocratic mentality.
So, blaming Awami League is nothing but making absurd comments by defeated soldiers, he said.
Today Sheikh Hasina's political honesty, courage, sincerity and strong leadership introduced her as a unique statesman to the world community, he said.
Bangladesh is marching forward towards prosperity at an indomitable speed under Sheikh Hasina's leadership, he said, adding that no conspiracy and propaganda can stop the development spree of Bangladesh.