DHAKA, Feb 09, 2024 (BSS) -Awami League (AL) General Secretary Obaidul Quader today said BNP will have to pay for the mistake it made by not joining the January 7 polls.

He made the remark while speaking at a press conference at the AL president's Dhanmondi political office here this afternoon.

Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said Bangladesh's democracy is far different from Pakistan's democracy. 

No country in the world has a caretaker government but Pakistan retains the so-called caretaker government system, he said. 

The AL general secretary said the difference between the two countries is that foreign powers, particularly the western world, voice loud over the elections of Bangladesh but there is no excitement in case of Pakistan.

He said there were violence, vote rigging, fraud and nine deaths in Pakistan's elections, while several dozens of people were killed in bomb blasts in Balochistan.

"We follow the true form of democracy. The opposition did not join the election but it was fair. We are not saying our democracy is 100 percent perfect. The democracy of the western world is not perfect too," Quader said.

About the AL's special extended meeting to be held tomorrow (Saturday), he said the implementation of the AL's election manifesto requires a strong unity in the party. 

Stating that the last general election was free and fair one, the road transport minister said 62 independent candidates were elected in the polls for strategic reasons but they also belong to the Awami League. There were many post bearers of the AL, he added.

He said during the elections, there were some unfortunate incidents like misunderstandings, disagreements, conflicts and chaos among the party men. 

A strong unity is needed among the AL men by putting an end to these issues aiming to implement the election manifesto, Quader said.

Quader said upazila, mayoral and union parishad elections will be held gradually and all the party men should remain united so that no conflict is created centering these elections. 

This special extended meeting is going to be organised to create an atmosphere of unity among all, he said.

About the absence of BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in the field of politics, the AL general secretary said: "As far as I know, he has been granted bail in many cases. A case for attack on the Chief Justice's residence caused a little difficulty for him. He may be granted bail in any time." 

He said the government does not want a person to be detained without trial too.

Regarding BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia's medical treatment abroad, Quader said, "Let her family submit an application and then it can be said whether she can go abroad. It depends on how the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Law Ministry recommend to this end."

AL organising secretaries BM Mozammel Haque, Mirza Azam and Sujit Roy Nandi, cultural affairs secretary Asim Kumar Ukil, and central and city AL leaders were present at the press conference.