DHAKA, July 25, 2023 (BSS) - Awami League (AL) General Secretary Obaidul Quader today said the ruling party, along with all pro-liberation forces, will begin its campaign in September-October to win the next parliamentary election under the leadership of party president Sheikh Hasina.

"Our election journey will begin in September-October. We cannot let the country go at the hands of anti-liberation forces and friends of Pakistan. Democracy and the country's development are not safe at their hands," he told a view-exchange meeting at AL's Bangabandhu Avenue central office here.

Presidents and general secretaries of AL's associate bodies and Dhaka City north, south and Dhaka district units joined the meeting with the AL general secretary. 

Quader, also Road Transport and Bridges Minister, said AL wants a free, fair, peaceful and conflict-free election.

"But BNP which doesn't believe in the people's support is storing firearms to carry out conflicts in the polls. We have information that they are buying arms," he said.

He said BNP believes that the power of arms is the real strength as it doesn't have belief in people's strength.

The people cannot have trust in those, who grasp state power at gunpoint, he mentioned.

Ziaur Rahman didn't come to power gaining people's mandate and in continuation of that, BNP has no trust in people's mandate as they know what will be the result of the polls if they contest it, he said.

"How can we tell the foreigners that BNP is such a party which wants guarantee of victory in polls, otherwise they won't be confident in election system," he said.

The AL general secretary urged the party leaders and activists to stay alert till the next polls as BNP wants to create conflicts.

"We will stay alert in field. We will resist those who will come to create conflicts. They are preparing to create conflicts in empty field. But we don't let it happen," he said.

"BNP and their cohorts are always saying that we give counter programmes even if we announce programmes for the month of morning. A few media are also labeling those as counter programmes," he said.

He said the view-exchange meeting was called to set the programme for the month of mourning.

Marking the birthday of Sheikh Kamal, son of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, tributes will be paid at his grave at Banani graveyard on August 5.

On the birthday of Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib, tributes will be paid at her grave at Banani graveyard.

Besides, AL will observe different programme marking the national mourning day on August 15 and the anniversary of August 21, 2004 grenade attacks.

AL Presidium Member Begum Matia Chowdhury, Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque, Presidium Members Kazi Zafarullah, Dr Muhammad Abdur Razzaque, Faruk Khan, Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, Bir Bikram, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Advocate Qamrul Islam and Dr Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin, Joint General Secretaries-Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud and AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Organizing Secretary Ahmed Hossain, BM Mozammel Haque, Mirza Azam and Sujit Roy Nandi and Office Secretary Barrister Biplab Barua were present, among others.