Situation in Chittagong Hill Tracts will be normal soon: Quader

The situation will become normal very soon in the Chittagong Hill Tracts area as there is no place for terrorism in Bangladesh, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader said on Monday (8 April).

"The government is closely monitoring the situation in the hills and taking necessary steps. The law enforcement agencies have already taken strict action against the activities of the terrorist groups in the hilly areas. Very soon the situation will be normal," he said in a statement sent to the media to counter the 'false, fabricated and purposeful' remarks of BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and other BNP leaders.

Quader, also the Road Transport and Bridges Minister, said BNP leaders, including Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, made negative comments about the independence and sovereignty of the country and they also remarked that the country's border is unprotected.

The AL spokesperson said no question can arise that the border remains unguarded. The independence and sovereignty of this country was established under the leadership of Bangladesh Awami League. Awami League is always determined to uphold the independence and sovereignty of this country, he added.

Claiming that the living standard of the people has improved through unprecedented development and progress of the country during the Awami League regime, he said the benefits of this development have reached the people of all levels.

The people are able to travel comfortably in a quick time during the Eid exodus thanks to the groundbreaking development of road communication and railways, said the Road Transport and Bridge Minister.

He said BNP leaders are trying to create confusion among the people by making false, fabricated and purposeful remarks when the people are in the festive mood ahead of the holy Eid-ul Fitr.

Quader said military dictator Ziaur Rahman and his party BNP, who captured the state power illegally and unconstitutionally, created a terrible and bloody situation in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

On the other hand, the successful statesman Sheikh Hasina, the daughter of Bangabandhu, established peace in the hilly regions through a bloodless and peaceful historic peace agreement assuming power in 1996, he added.

But later Bangladesh again became a sanctuary for terrorism and militancy under state sponsorship during the regimes of BNP-Jamaat alliance, the AL leader claimed.

Terming Tarique Rahman the master of terrorism, anarchy and corruption, the mastermind of August 21 grenade attack and convicted fugitive accused, he said BNP has once again indulged in a new conspiracy to destabilise the country by holding virtual meetings with Tarique Rahman.

In the statement, Quader said BNP is indulging in ill-efforts to mislead the people by creating and spreading falsehoods as a party.

"BNP wants to play the sympathy-card by raising false and fabricated narratives of torture on their leaders and activists. Bangladesh Awami League does not do politics of suppression of opposition parties and dissident views," he said.

Legal actions have been taken against those terrorists who have committed acts of terrorism by setting fire to innocent people, said the AL leader.