War of words One-eleven, never again

Accusing BNP of trying to stage another one-eleven, Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday advised it to come out "this nightmare."

"One-eleven will never come back to Bangladesh," Quader said at a media briefing at his official residence. "Those who think that the government will fall after a few rallies are living in a fool's paradise," he said.

In Bangladesh, the 1/11 is referred to the day when a military-based caretaker administration took over amid a deepening political crisis over holding of general elections.

The AL leader explained the scrapping of the constitutional provision of holding general election under neutral caretaker government in 2011.

Pointing to BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam's claim, Quader said the high court -- not the Awami League government -- abolished the caretaker government system.

He said Awami League believes in politics of ballot and respects people's trust.

Quader said if the people of the country want, Awami League will form the government again.

He said according to the constitution, the next national election will be held like in other democratic countries of the world. If politics is for the people, BNP should come to the election.

He also said if he (Quader) has to resign then Mirza Fakhrul should be the first to resign due to continuous failure in the movement and elections.

"Mirza Fakhrul has been holding the post of secretary general of the party for many years without any council. Fakhrul may not even know when the general meeting of BNP was held," he said.