Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Friday said the development stories of Bangladesh are now discussed in Pakistan parliament and they want to be a country like Bangladesh.
Quader was addressing a discussion marking Victory Day and inaugural ceremony of Bangabandhu, Liberation War and Bangladesh Corner at Setu Bhaban in Dhaka.
"Bangladesh has surpassed Pakistan in maximum socio-economic indexes before the golden jubilee of independence," the minister said, adding the country is marching ahead in an indomitable speed.
Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said Bangladesh’s development stories are now discussed in Pakistan parliament and they want to be a country like Bangladesh.
It reveals the success of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s lifelong struggles, he added.
The ruling party leader also criticized BNP saying though the party always talks about sovereignty and Liberation War, now its main task is to make complaints to foreigners.
“As a political party of the independent country, BNP has revealed its political bankruptcy by seeking support of foreign forces to go to power,” he said.
He said those who cannot accept the country by heart and soul, are patronizing the anti-liberation forces.
BNP is now hatching conspiracy to create unrest in the country to fish in muddled water, he added.
Quader said now Bangladesh’s development and progress is astonishing the world because of magical leadership and charismatic decision making of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Referring to different achievements of the government, he said Bangladesh attained self-sufficiency in food production but once it was a country of food deficiency.
Without any disputes, the country has settled maritime boundary issues with neighboring countries, he added.
The minister said only Bangabandhu’s daughter Sheikh Hasina has the courage to take the decision of constructing Padma Bridge with domestic funds giving a challenge to the World Bank.
There has been no irregularity and lack of minimum transparency in the construction works of Padma Bridge, he said.
Quader expressed his optimism that vehicle operation on Padma Bridge will begin in 2022.
During this situation of coronavirus outbreak, life and living, bilateral and multilateral relations do not remain stopped and the country’s economy started rebounding overcoming the negative effects of the pandemic.
Bridge Division Secretary Md Belayet Hossain chaired the function while additional secretary of the ministry Md Anwar Hossain also spoke on the occasion.
BDST: 1815 HRS, DEC 18, 2020
AP
