Live Correspondent: Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader on Saturday described BNP's road march as its "funeral procession" and said the party's backward journey began with the program.

"BNP's mass-uprising has failed. Where is their uproar? Where is their mass upsurge? Now their funeral procession begins, not a road march. They will be defeated this way in the movement and in the next elections. They will face their political death in the polls," he said.

Quader was addressing a rally in protest against BNP's "terrorism and anarchy" in front of Amin Market at Azampur, Uttara in the capital. Awami League's Dhaka City North unit arranged the rally. Winter clothes were also distributed among cold-hit people at the rally

The Awami League general secretary said BNP leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is now making only hollow comments and falsehoods. "We have been bound to reply to their comments," he said.

Quader, who is also the Road Transport and Bridges minister, said Awami League stays on the streets and will stay in the future too. "We stayed beside the people and now we are standing by them during this winter season with warm clothes. We always stay beside the people during their distress and misery as well as during any disaster, cyclone, and flood," he said.

He said Awami League always stays beside the people whether it wins in the polls or not. "If people cast their vote in favour of us, we will be elected. If they don't want us, we will quit. This is the politics of Awami League," he said.

Quader said Awami League's root is very deep in the soil of Bangladesh. "So, there will be no benefit in daydreaming. No one can push away Awami League," he said.

The AL general secretary said BNP's alliance is a mess and their movement will never be successful. Awami League joint general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif said the next general elections will be held as per the constitution.

If BNP has trust in people, they should contest in the elections to test their popularity, he said. "But BNP will not join elections. Actually, the BNP-Jamaat evil force doesn't want an election. As they know it very well that the people will never bring them into power," he said.

Noting that Awami League is a party of the masses, Hanif said the party always stays beside the people in their weal and woe.

The Awami League government under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been taking ahead the country towards development and progress, he said.

Dhaka, 28 January (campuslive24.com)// AZ