Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Saturday called upon BNP to stand beside people instead of doing politics over the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
“Every day, BNP makes falsehood and spreads rumors against the government. But if we reply to that, they get angered,” he told a press conference on contemporary issues at his official residence here.
Mentioning that the government welcomes any constructive criticism not rumors and propaganda, Quader urged BNP to give constructive suggestions to the government instead of making blind criticisms.
“Now opposing in every matter has become BNP’s politics. So, I want to urge the BNP leaders to stand beside the people instead of doing politics over coronavirus,” he said.
The minister said BNP did evil politics over coronavirus vaccine and now they are spreading misleading information centering the lockdown.
“What did BNP do for the welfare of the people apart from making criticisms and spreading falsehood during the pandemic?” he questioned.
He said when the developed nations are facing severe troubles in containing the Covid-19 surge, Bangladesh is making relentless efforts to restrain the transmission by building strong network from centre to grassroots.
The government has been making all-out strides to secure the life as well as livelihoods, he said.
About BNP’s demand for taking all-party opinions over Covid-19, Quader said coronavirus is not a political issue.
He mentioned that there is a national advisory committee on Covid-19 and the government is taking any decision on the basis of recommendations and opinions of that committee and health experts.
The minister said the opinion of health experts is more important than all-party opinion in this regard.
There is no instance of forming all-party committee for containing coronavirus in the world, he said.
On the occasion of the historic Mujibnagar Day, the AL General Secretary paid glowing tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and all martyrs of 1971 Liberation War.
Earlier, the minister inaugurated the construction project to upgrade connecting road of Karnaphuli tunnel (Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel) and Anwara upazila to four-lane joining it virtually from his official residence in Dhaka.
He said the Road Transport and Bridges Ministry is making all-out efforts to build an uninterrupted and safe highway network by constructing road infrastructures for the socioeconomic development of the people.
Quader said Korean EPZ and Chinese Economic Zone have been established at Anwara upazila in South Chattogram.
He said Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel is being constructed beneath the Karnaphuli river and the tunnel connecting road will link port city Chattogram with tourist town Cox’s Bazar.
In this regard, a Taka 407 crore project has been taken to upgrade around 11.5 kilometer road – 8km from Shikalbaha to Kalabibir Dighi and around 3.5km from Kalabibir Dighi to Anwara Sadar upazila- to four-lane, he said.
He mentioned that three intersections will be constructed at Shikalbaha, Karnaphuli tunnel junction and Kalabibir Dighi under the project.
