AL for holding next polls in a free and fair manner: Quader

Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today said the government wants to hold the next national election in a free and fair manner and those who will try to obstruct the election must be resisted. 

"We are saying it time and again that the next election will be held peacefully in a free and fair manner. We will extend all-out support to the Election Commission in arranging a neutral election," he said while talking to journalists after placing wreaths at the grave of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam marking his 124th birth anniversary in Dhaka University campus this morning.       

About the US visa policy, Quader said, "The US has mentioned that it would not give visa if election is obstructed, we are also saying so and those who will obstruct the election must be resisted." 

Responding to a question, the AL general secretary said, "We want to say it clearly that those who will set ablaze buses, ransack motor vehicles in the name of movement ahead of national election are now resorting to political violence. They will be given befitting reply." 

About the non-communal spirit of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, Quader said, "We want to imbue with the non-communal and humanitarian spirit of Nazrul Islam. Communal beliefs are still creating obstacles to the path of building a non-communal Bangladesh." 

"We will build a non-communal Bangladesh under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina following the ideology of Bangabandhu," he added. 

AL presidium members Kazai Zafrullah, Shajahan Khan and Dr Mostafa Zalal Mohiuddin, joint general secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim, organizing secretaries Ahmad Hossain and SM Kamal Hossain, cultural affairs secretary Asim Kumar Ukil, science and technology affairs secretary Engineer Abdus Sabur, office secretary Barrister Biplab Barua, among others, were present. 

Earlier, Bangladesh Chhatra League placed wreaths at the grave of Kazi Nazrul Islam, reports BSS.