Bandarban situation will come under control soon; joint drive going on: Quader

The government has taken a strict stance against terrorist activities prevailing in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), Awami League (AL) General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said today (5 April).

"The government is aware of the armed activities in Chittagong Hill Tracts. A joint drive is going on there. So, the situation will come under control soon," he said while speaking at an Eid gift distribution ceremony at Manik Mia Avenue in the capital this morning.

The AL general secretary said a small ethnic group has started some armed activities in the CHT. This ethnic group is not found in Rangamati and Khagrachari, but it is only found in Bandarban.

"Some of the youths of this ethnic group are staging demonstrations with arms. Law enforcement forces are conducting a joint operation there in this regard," he said.

Hoping that the situation will get normal soon, Quader said there is no reason to think that the entire CHT will be in turmoil due to the armed activities of these ethnic people.

About the increase in metro rail fare, he said: "Who suddenly announced that 15% VAT would be added on metro rail fares from July. We do not know anything about it. I will talk to the Prime Minister about it. 

Metrorail is a special service of public transport. People are getting benefit from it. I don't know who suddenly gave such an announcement before any high-level decision of the government is taken," he said.

Quader said today some parties in Bangladesh have failed to foil the last general elections and failed in waging movement. 

"The election is over now...BNP now has nothing to do without taking heavy breaths. They have destroyed democracy. And (AL President and Prime Minister) Sheikh Hasina has unchained it," he said.

Criticising the statement of the BNP leaders that the government is carrying out unchecked looting across the country, the AL general secretary said: "How and where is the looting going on? Don't throw stones in the dark, tell the truth." 

He said the BNP leaders were claiming that about 80% of BNP leaders and workers were in jail, while BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is shedding crocodile tears.

"Where is the list of 80% of BNP men who are in jail now?" Quader questioned.

AL publicity and publication secretary Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap, executive president of Awami Matsyajibi League Saiful Alam Manik and its general secretary Sheikh Azgar Naskar also spoke at the function with Awami Matsyajibi League president Saidur Rahman in the chair.