The alliance the Awami League is forming is strategic, but it never compromised on ideology, party general secretary Obaidul Quader said yesterday.
The Awami League had won the general elections in 1996 as it made realistic but seemingly compromising decisions based on reality, Quader, also road transport and bridges minister, said, adding that his party recognised the right-wing Hefajat-e-Islam as reality demanded it.
“In the politics of power some compromises need to be made... That's the reality... We couldn't come to power unless we made [some] compromises...,” he said referring to AL's giving election tickets to lesser known candidates in the 1996 national polls.
He made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a programme of Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee, marking its 26th founding anniversary in the capital's Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh.
In 1996, the AL gave nomination for Dhaka-6 constituency to Saber Hossain Chowdhury instead of its long-time dedicated leader and freedom fighter Muzaffar Hossain Paltu. And for Dhaka-8 constituency, the party chose Haji Selim over Dr Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin, he said.
“And you know the result of that election.” The AL could not start the process of trying the war criminals unless it came to power, the AL general secretary added.
Quader once again rejected BNP's call for holding a dialogue over the polls-time government ahead of the upcoming parliamentary election, saying that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had gone to console BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia after her son Arafat Rahman Koko passed away, but the premier was sent back empty-handed.
“She [Khaleda] had not only closed the door of her house, but she closed the door to [any further] dialogue.”
The senior AL leader also expressed his concern saying that if the BNP again came to power, it would taint the spirit of the Liberation War.
Regarding the recent violence of between supporters of two feuding AL leaders in Narayanganj, Quader said the offenders will not be spared for breaching discipline of the party. "The PM has asked me to talk to the home minister over the matter. Whoever the offender is, [she or he] will be punished."
