Awami League does not care about US visa policy: Quader

Obaidul quader, general secretary of Bangladesh Awami League.

Dhaka, Sept 23 - Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Saturday said Awami League does not care about visa policy and restrictions because it wants free, impartial and fair elections anyway.

He also stressed the importance of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's selfies with world leaders over any recent developments.

"Everything in Bangladesh politics has already been decided by two selfies in the space of a week," Quader said, adding: "The selfies are causing BNP sleepless nights."

“Those who want to obstruct fair elections, will be affected by the visa restriction policy,” the roads, bridges and highways minister told reporters this evening at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, after returning home from a routine health check-up at Mount Elizabeth Hospital of Singapore.

Quader said that the people of the country will vote and the Election Commission will conduct the elections. Sending foreign observers is up to them. There is the Vienna Convention and they have to follow the rules to send observers, he added.

There is no alternative to the Sheikh Hasina government for the continuation of democratic process in Bangladesh, said  Awami League general secretary.

Asked if the BNP will not allow the election without a caretaker government, Quader said: "Will the election be held according to BNP’s decision?"

If they want to boycott the election, they have the right to do so, he pointed out.

"However, if any anti-election conspiracy is made, people will resist them with iron hand," the senior AL leader said. -UNB