Dhaka: General Secretary of Bangladesh Awami League and Road Transport & Bridges Minister said today that the people did not respond to the half day shut down called by the Left Democratic Alliance (LDA) on the ground of increasing gas price.
In reply to a question of journalists here to day after a meeting of the presidium of Bangladesh Awami League held at the political office of the party president Sheikh Hasina at Dhanmondi.
Obaidul Kader said that the same traffic jam was observed in all the areas of the city today then how the shut down or ‘hartal’ was enforced. They thought that through this call they will be able to build up greater movement but that has been nipped in the bud.
Obaidul Kader said that hartal is no more a weapon of movement it has got rust. Because the people of the country now understand the reality.
He said that to rationalize gas price its price has been hiked. Earlier the government used to pay subsidy, still paying. So the hike is logical, he said.
Referring to the statement of BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir who had said that to give financial benefit to the LNG importers the government hiked gas price. In reply Kader said that it has no basis, he (Fakhrul) told it for the sake of opposing the government.
In the meeting of the presidium, the program of observing August 15, organizational preparation of national conference etc were discussed, informed Kader.
Recruiting party members will begin from July 21. However this will be discussed with the Prime Minister.
During last local body elections in some places there were charges of breaking party discipline against some MPs and even some Ministers. These will be looked into in proper forum, Obaidul Kader said.
Awami League joint secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif, Dr. Dipu Moni, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Abdur Rahman, Organizing secretary Ahmed Hossain, AKM Enamul Haque Shamim, Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, Muhibul Hassan Chowdhury Nowfel, Law Secretary ASM Rezaul Karim, Relief and Disaster secretary Sujit Roy Nandi, Infromation and Research secretary Advocate Afzal Hossain, Science & Technology secretary Abdus Sabur, Forest & Environment secretary Delwar Hossain, deputy office secretary Barrister Biplob Barua, member SM Kamal and Marufa Akhtar Popy were present in the press conference.