Quader: Already won quarter-final, now ready for final

Talking about the build-up to the upcoming national election, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader has said his party has already won the quarterfinal and now awaits the final.

“The quarterfinal is over, and we have won. Now, there's the semifinal, and then the final will take place in the first week of January. People of Bangladesh are prepared for the final match," he said while addressing a rally after the metro rail inauguration from Agargaon to Motijhee, at Arambagh, Dhaka on Saturday afternoon.

Commenting on BNP's ultimatum to overthrow the government by October 28 Quader said: "Where is the spectacle, where is the leap? October 28 came and went, then 29, 30, 31... Today is November 4. Sheikh Hasina has inaugurated the Agargaon-Motijheel section of the Metrorail according to the set timetable. The transformation of Dhaka city and Bangladesh from 15 years ago to now is like night and day."

He said: "At this moment, the world is in crisis; it's a global emergency. The Russia-Ukraine war, the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, the war in Sudan, and today, the whole world is in the midst of this crisis. Bangladesh, too, faces some challenges in this complex situation. However, remember that our leader doesn't sleep at night for the people of Bangladesh. She sleeps less than three hours in 24 hours. She speaks for the people, thinks for the people, and works for the people. After Bangabandhu, have you seen any leader as dedicated, as popular, as skilled, and as successful as Sheikh Hasina? Have we found another leader as people-oriented as Sheikh Hasina?"

Regarding the prime minister's foreign visit, Obaidul Quader said: "We had a gap with the European Union. In order to bridge that gap, Sheikh Hasina responded to the invitation of European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Whatever she has accomplished there is for the benefit of the people of my country."

At this time, highlighting the issue of honouring Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina abroad, he said: "We will keep electing her repeatedly. Wherever she has taken Bangladesh, world leaders praise her. And we have a communal extremist party in our country; they cannot respect Sheikh Hasina. Sheikh Hasina has done so much for Bangladesh, yet they cannot even say thank you. If Sheikh Hasina runs for election alone, she will get 70% to 75% of the vote. They are jealous of her popularity.”

Referring to BNP-Jamaat Quader said: "Bangabandhu's daughter must win again by defeating this militant, communal evil force in the next election. Democracy in Bangladesh is not safe in their hands (BNP-Jamaat). If they come to power, they will destroy Bangladesh's democracy, causing bloodshed and creating mountains of corpses. We cannot entrust Bangladesh to this evil force. That's why the people of Bangladesh are ready for the final match."